Chisels, planes and handsaws are among my favourite tools. Hi end quality tools will always suit the artisan, craftsman & professionals while the entry level chisels will always suit the handyman and weekend warrior. Big difference is steel quality and the mileage between sharpenings. Personally I use both - cheap chisels for rough & crude work where the chisel may be subject to damage and the quality tools for more precision cabinetry type of work. They both have their place.
@@thewalnutwoodworker6136 Good enough, but that depends on how much your time is worth. If you have a high paying job, you're more likely to be bothered by having to resharpen multiple times a day when you can sharpen once a week. If you don't have much expendable income, you're going to use what you can afford. There are also chisels that are not so terrible, for less than top dollar
@@thewalnutwoodworker6136 Sure, every other strike you don't roll. You can't strop away a rolled edge. I gave up with my cheap chisels and they're backups that I sharpen with a grinding wheel. The metal is trash and soft anyway so I'm not too worried about the temper. It makes almost no difference.
the Stanley sweethearts are not based off of the Lie-Nielsen. The Lie-Nielsens are based off the vintage Stanley 750s. I assume the sweethearts are their current day cheap version of the companies original (and very desirable) 750s. Keep up the good videos.
did you buy the kit or individuals? This was a solo chisel, I wonder if that has anything to with it or if I truly go lucky. Bellies in your chisels are a PAIN!
I bought them as individuals from lee valley. I am happy with them now but it was a lot of work considering the cost. In hindsight I would have rather shelled out a little more for a set of fewer Lie Nielsen chisels.
Mr Wood.Work - I have a jagged scar across my right palm (I'm left-handed) that went to the bone , required tons of stitches to close and months to heal - and 40 yrs later my thumb is still partially numb- all bc I was rushing with a dull chisel and had my one hand in front of the other trying to hold a piece - instead of taking an extra second and clamping it to my bench. There a a few places in your demo video like that that are accidents waiting to happen. Please be careful and secure your work.
@@WoodWorkLIFE "more careful generally." Really? The only trouble with, "I usually am careful." is that sometimes you're not. It only takes a minute or so to get and use a couple of clamps versus a lifetime of regret as alluded to by Tioga Fretworks. I am a carver and had a couple of close shaves myself for the same reason; namely not thinking ahead. I enjoyed your review regarless of how unscientific it was. It is my opinion that the quality/grade of steel is of greater importance than price. Of course, the better quality usually means a higher price. Although cheaper chisels will do the job, more often then not, they need more effort and time to maintain a good edge which can be very discouraging to the novice. I prefer a higher quality steel because they usually hold an edge better, needing only a touch-up now and then. Also, once tuned to your liking, they need much less frequent full-service sharpening. Lower-end chisels provide an advantage, though. Their relatively soft steel may require more frequent attention, but learning how to sharpen well with a cheaper and softer unit will benefit you with a whole bunch of sharpening experience BEFORE you graduate to better quality blade. Used chisels from yard sales are a good place to start as well.
@@michaelheurkens4538 what I meant is I am more careful when I am not trying to get shots of using the chisels vs. Actually using the chisels. This was a long time ago and I am much more aware of demonstrating proper technique rather than getting interesting footage. I personally think there is a balance between edge retention and ease of sharpening. It is a fine line but you'll know when you've crossed it as your chisel skates on a diamond plate. I think heat treated A2 and pmv-11 might be too hard sometimes. To me I am going to sharpen or at least hone my chisel every third dovetail and before any pairing task anyway. So I would rather have something that is easier to make razor sharp, than something that will stay kinda sharp longer.
If I was you, I'd buy or make a vice before worrying about 'lifetime' chisels. IMHO, expensive chisels are mainly used by the boys with all the kit, and no clue.
as a retired cabinet maker i can tell you i never bought the fancy expensive chisels. why invest that much money into a tool that will require just as much sharpening to maintain as a cheap one. generally i found the difference between an expensive chisel and a cheap one was the user.
I'm just an amateur, mostly adept at making wood chips, but it seems to me that the costs associated with those expensive chisels... well, they should show up absolutely perfect and come with a dude to sharpen it for you!
Doesn't it also depend on what you're doing with the chisels? For real basic stuff like cleaning up a hinge mortise, I have a cheap set of Craftsman chisels that someone gave me. But for removing waste in a dovetail, they don't do very well because of their shape. However, for a five dollar set of Aldi's chisels you can grind them to whatever shape you need. I would think the A2 tool steel would have to last longer than cheaper steel or they wouldn't use it. The real question is how much longer do they hold an edge and is it worth the money? But I do see your point. Even an expensive chisel will fail with abuse. And a cheap chisel will work well in the hands of someone with good technique.
to be honest i think you will find the cheap chisel makers get their steel from the same manufacturers as the expensive ones. like clothing you pay for the label.
cheap chisel makers never reveal their steel, process or hardness, either because their buyers don't care or the result would be embarrassing. Less expensive product concede that they will have less expensive material and labor. A fine chisel (expensive) will be cast perfect, very sharp, and maintain the sharpness even working on difficult material
I've used cheap ones, expensive ones and in the end just get the same result. Maybe a bit more sharpening with the cheapos. But, you get good at sharpening technique and its not an issue. I tossed one cheapo, because the metal was a little gummy, but not a huge loss ($2). Ouch!
Get you some Stanley FatMax chisels, I’ve been beating mine up for over 10 yrs and they are still going strong and hold an edge really well. I build and repair guitars so I use them on everything from Spruce to Maple, Mohagany to Ebony and they always do the job. You can get a set of 3 in 1/4”, 1/2” and 1” sizes for around $27 + tax. They are a great value and work just as well as those real expensive ones if you know how to sharpen and hone them.
Excellent video, I liked that you took the time to carefully test each of the chisels in a variety of tasks. Personally, I'm a fan Japanese chisels but the cost can be quite prohibitive to the novice woodworker so I completely understand why you didn't include them.
I have a set of antique Narex chisels that were still in the unopened box when I go them. The backs weren't anywhere near as bad as your example. And the edges they take are exceptional. I got sick of the blokes I was working with 'borrowing' these beautiful old tools, so I went out and bought a set of Stanley chisels for work, leaving my Narex set for home use. The Stanley chisels were a real pain to get into anything that I consider as working order. Though they do the job just fine now that they are. I just felt I had to stand up for the trusty Narex chisel, as I know mine are all great tools to use.
I commend you for buying all the chisels and trying to make it objective. I realize this was quite a while ago but I thought I'd share my two cents with regards to your choice of criterion: -Flattening the back: You essentially only do this once. While it's a proxy for quality, I would have only evaluated this in units of time until flat. -Initial Sharpening: I think this was an erroneous metric. Different manufacturer's have had different initial bevel angles, and different users will seek out different angles than your 27*. -Edge retention: I believe this is arguably the most important metric, once you determined that all of the are at least usable. I would have operationalized this (made it quantifiable) by numbers of dovetails chopped until it became dull/started compressing rather than shearing fibers. THEN, it may have been worthwhile to directly compare if any were more quickly to returned to sharp. -Torture Test: I'm not sure what, if any, information this provided. I do agree, the terminating side bevels (and perhaps its extra length) set the Veritas PMV-11 in a league of their own. I'm skeptical on how superior their powdered metal is vs. Lie-Nielsen's cryo-A2 (I know Lee-Valley claims it to be superior to A2 but there's no mention of their comparitor being cryo-treated, and we know cryo-treated A2 to perform much better than untreated A2). I rock my Aldi chisels but I'm likely to get LV's or LN's on a long enough timeline. The truth of the matter is it's ultimately subjective in terms how much you dislike sharpening and/or how valuable your shop time is. If you're pro, obviously having to sharpen doesn't add value to your customer, so paying for better edge retention/ease of sharpening is worth investing in. Similarly, if you have little shop time and/or hate sharpening, you may want to pay to be able to sharpen less often.
Hi future Rick here, all fair points. I think the big differentiator and a thing a lot of people overlook is, no edge is bulletproof and a good joiner will frequently share their tools. It is better to have a good balance of edge retention and sharpenability. While the LN steel retains a fine edge as does the PMV11, the A2 skates on my diamond stones. Which means it's a PIA to sharpen, which I do frequently. The ALDI chisels are some of the finest cheapo tools I have ever had my hands on but the Veritas is what I always find myself reaching for years later. This mostly due to geometry and ergonomics. The Line Nielsens are DAMN fine tools though
Chisels are a sharpened bar of steel with a handle on it. There is no magic. Tang or socket is a preference. Wood on the handle is aesthetic as long as it doesn't crumble when you hit it. As long as the steel is reasonably hard, the only real difference is you might sharpen one a bit more often than another. There is nothing wrong with liking a beautiful tool. It doesn't make them work any better.
I really like the way you explain techniques. I'm self taught and make no claim of being an exceptional woodworker but I keep learning every project. Thanks for being there
I have a set of 6 Irwin Marples. Flatbacked right out of the box, took very little time to initiate them. They sharpen up well and hold their edge. I don't really understand your criticism of them. Maybe I just got lucky with the set I was given.... and maybe you weren't.
Ummm...I don't mean to be a jerk, but when you were flattening the backs, you said that the Irwin/Marples had soft enough steel that it was easy to flatten. Then when you were talking about changing the bevel angle, all of a sudden the Irwin/Marples had hard steel that made the bevel angle the worst to correct. Also, I think you buried your lead. Your opinion seems to be that at the top of the market, price correlates perfectly with quality. That's no surprise, I have yet to see a tool review where the reviewer had the guts to say differently. Because your top end opinion was so trite, you should have focused on your secondary conclusion, which seems to be that the HF and Aldi chisels are way superior value to the mid range chisels.
Fair point, I caught that after my edit. The flattening portion was halfway through the flattening. When all was said and done, the Irwin Marples took the longest to get sharp. You can do almost anything with the ALDI chisel, but it has wide bevel edges, it is also quite easy to sharpen. The Stanley was the overall best value, but the Veritas was the only true bevel edge chisel.
+Matt Pethybridge thanks for the feedback Matt. The Stanley, Aldi, and Harbor Freight chisels are phenomenal value. The Veritas is in a league of its own.
I was really hoping someone would write this comment. Best all around value is the aldi's but the higher priced were the preferred? Didn't make much sense.
Plus he uses his chisels for pairing. I’ve never gotten advanced enough to do any pairing, but my cheaper ‘carpenter grade’ Stanleys have pared a lot of wood and helped me feed myself and my kids... I used to be embarrassed about some of my low-buck tools and yankee-frugal methods. I got over that like twenty-five years ago thanks to Mike Dunbar. Yes, the Windsor Chair Guru. I’d bet he never measured the angle on his wood chisels, either LOL. He did have good tools because he bought and used the best for the job - and the best tools were often far less costly than the expensive ones. Well that’s enough- I’ve got to go learn me some about that there wood pairing.
I would also say its hard to compare quality on any hand tool until you have used it for 20 years, at that point a lot can change. If I invested 94$ in a hand tool I would expect it to last me a lifetime and then some.
umm this video proved that was not the case. hardness does not equate edge retention. in fact the harder something is the more prone to shatter, because they are more brittle. this is why "harder" materials are used for impact resistance through their mass. anvils, hammers, rollers etc. the edge loses much of its impact resistance because it's a small fine edge, taking more of the brittle characteristics. there are expectations but it's not going to be steel here.
Hardness , in this case, to the correct level is a balance between soft and hard, giving you the best edge retention but not to hard to be brittle! If the steel is to soft it will not keep an edge as long as a blade that is correctly hardened. The steels ability to be hardened to the correct level is a function of the steels quality and formulation giving it the ability to be hardened to the level desired to give the best balance. I have used many different chisels over the last 50 years of woodworking and the extreme at both ends of the spectrum of price are in my experience not as desirable. One for the lack of quality steel and the other because of the price. The Narex has been the best of the bunch that I have used on quality and price, Stanley if you can find an older set is good too, but the newer stuff is not even close to the old quality. There is more to it than just edge life, there is also life of the tool, I have literally used up half inch and Three quarter inch chisels that were of low quality steel, but the better quality not only requires less sharpening, but you grind away less steel when sharpening each time as less was required to be removed to achieve a new edge. As far as flattening the backs, Yes it is great if they are ready to go. I however don't find the extra price a good reason here as well. You generally only have to flatten the back of your blades once in their lifetime, so it is not a big deal to have to do that one time!I agree that there is really no reason to spend $55 a chisel like a set of Lie-Nielsens but $12 or $13 per chisel for Narex works out to be fare to me! Everyone has their own idea of what is reasonable by way of price and quality. What is a good fit for me is not necessarily the same for another. I will not say anything bad about someone that needs to be frugal, god knows I have been there for more years than I would like as I am sure many have been. So buy a set of cheep tools if you need to, you may find that they are all you need especially if it turns out that you don't do as much woodworking as you thought you were going to. later if you find that your really hooked on the sport, then spend a little more for higher quality tools what ever you like, after all it is your money and your pride in the tools you have, and it really doesn't matter what I or anyone else thinks about the price.
@@mikesmicroshop4385 love this comment mate. Couldn't have put it better, I completely agree with everything you're saying. Although I really don't need them, but I want some Lie Nielsen chisels lol.
Appreciate you sharing these results! I wish you would have snuck in Rob Cossman's IBC chisels into that lineup. :-) This is the second time, in as many days, that I've heard the Narex bench chisels don't come flat. So, I'll steer away from them. I did purchase a set of the Narex paring chisels - those honking long things, from Lee Valley. I just got done hand sharpening them all to 13,000 grit. I didn't really have a huge problem getting the backs flat - but they are so long, I just focused on getting the cutting edge flat. Haven't had a chance to really put them to work, but from the wee bit I fooled around with them on a 2x4 that had the misfortune of being too handy, I think I will really enjoy them. The long layout makes them feel good in the hand(s) when paring a surface flat.
I would be happy to, I was trying to be exhaustive with my comparison (Shy of Swedish and Japanese steel)...@robcosman if you want to send me one for the companion article I am working on for this video, I would be happy to include it...
I have a set of Sheffield Steel I bought 20yrs ago and they have had hard use. My Irwins went away as they did not hold an edge. If I replaced them I would use Veritas.
+Sean C they are not from Paul Sellers they are from ALDI, Liie the grocery store. They are usually on sale around father's day when they have all the tools out.
A vintage set of USA made craftsman chisels from the 1950s and 60s. They were made by Western Forge and are good quality for construction work. I still use a set that I bought new in 1965.
I use the narex and Irwin. Mine were flat. I also have the mortise chisels for the Narex. I think they do the job and sharpening is not bad after the initial one. I can't afford the veritas.
I find that my IRWIN chisels are great for opening up cans of paint lol. No...they are ok. I really don't use chisels a whole lot but they work just fine for what I use them for.
I bought a chisel from Woolworth's [ yes it was long time ago ] for a couple of quid to do a specific job and had no worry about it being damaged as I did not want to use one of my best . OK so the cutting edge was but welded onto the rest and was only an inch long . IT was fantastic and held its edge even when being roughly treated .
I liked the comparisons. Even when you were talking about the grip you acknowledged that is really just personal taste. The only thing I wish you would have clarified is which chisel went dull first. They'll all eventually go dull with use. But was there a chisel that held its edge longer? I watched all the videos on Veritas's chisels. Supposedly it is awesome, at least according to them. I bought one of their plane irons but haven't used it enough to make a judgment. I own a set of Narex chisels. You are absolutely right about the hollow on the bottom. The hollow grind on the bevel is preferred by some. But it took me forever to flatten the backs of all my Narex chisels. Thanks for taking the time and money to test all of the chisels.
Thank you for the thoughtful comment, Edge retention is sort of a double edge sword. If the chisel retains and edge better it also going to be a bugger to sharpen. I was trying to test edge retention with cutting the mortise, but unfortunately after that test none of them were "sharp." Not an exhaustive, or scientific opinion, but I can tell you from my own personal use, the Veritas and the Lie Nielsen chisels hold and edge through a whole project (sharp enough to shave), just needing honing a few times for fine work. The Narex, Stanley, and ALDI chisels are probably in the same league edge retention wise. The Irwin and the HF are at the bottom edge retention wise, they both roll an edge very easily, but the HF chisels are a joy to sharpen, they put on such a sharp edge so fast.
Wood.Work.LIFE. I was looking for edge retention comparison. The longer the better. I have no problem with sharpening taking a long time. I use a worksharp set to its most acute angle. It takes a couple of seconds before use. I bought a set of Sorby bevel edged with box wood handles decades ago. They are very comfortable. If I were starting up I would like sharp bevel edges for cutting dovetail joints, hard steel and boxwood handles.
The softer the steel the easier they are to sharpen and the quicker they are to lose an edge. When I was doing my own research on steels and chisels, I heard the O1 steels take a finer edge but need to be sharpened more often. The A2 steel is much harder, doesn't take quite as fine an edge but holds it longer. Those are the two main tool steels. Then there are the Chromium manganese steel that most chisels are made of. I think with most of them, if you simply strop them regularly, you will rarely have to sharpen them. It's easier to maintain an edge than create one. I think you're paying for the fit and finish on the higher end chisels more than anything else. Look up Blue Spruce Toolworks if you really want sticker shock. They're over $100 a chisel. But out of the box they're flat and the handles are excellent. But are they worth the price tag? I bought a set of their dovetail chisels because they were ground specifically to get into tight areas. I don't regret buying them but I do think there are other cheaper options that would work just as well.
Enjoy the video immensely. I have professional grade japanese bench chisels which hold an edge very well. I'm retentive about honing before, and, after use. I have 2 Narex long paring chisels which I'm very happy with, and a set of Pfeil short butt chisels which have immaculate steel. I have both LN and Veritas hand planes which is where I spent my money. Also wild about vintage Bedrocks and wooden planes. Just a tool junkie. Thanks for the video.
Happy, there is such a wide array out there now, that I hesitate to make any recommendation. Go with hand forged craftsmanship. If you can afford it, the blue steel laminate holds an edge very well. I have the middle grade (professional) ori-gami white steel laminate that I'm very happy with. I'm retentive about keeping the edge up to speed, and hone before and after each use. Good luck. Even Grizzly is selling japanese chisels now. I got mine from Traditional Woodworker, but they are no longer in business.
No problem Phillip, I have some white steel Japanese chisels coming. I am debating doing a follow up on this video. What do you think? In researching Japanese chisels I have learned so much about the historical and modern manufacturing process of the forging and smithing those amazing tools, I also didn't realize how much of the best Japanese steel isn't even coming from Japan anymore. Come to think of it, how could a smith afford the rent in Japan anymore...
Very nice comparison. Nice video. I am learning and gathering some information. I want to make the best choice that I am able. Do you have any proof and opinion on spoon chisels? Wide mouth ones and narrow, half pointed spoon ones?
Great video, even the second time around. I'm still using the set of Aldi chisels I won in your GAW a while back and still enjoying how well they work.
@@WoodWorkLIFE Really good all things considered. I spend most of my time in my shop anyhow so this whole social distancing thing doesn't affect me that much.
I didn't feel there was a strong case presented to purchase tools that were 10-15x more expensive except for the initial work required to flatten and sharpen the cheaper chisels. A couple of the chisels hard harder still so that would mean longer time before needing to sharpen. But again, you are going to be paying a lot for that feature. For people like me that just need to have the proper tool available when I need it, buying cheap but adequate tools seems the way to go. I do have a set of Irwin chisels that seem nice and I just bought a harbor freight "4 for $5.00" set to supplement.
That is kind of the point of these shootouts, really just to show how much you CAN get done with the everyman tool, and show you why you might want to spend the extra on the ultimate of any given tool. I find the hardness to be a challenge between sharpen-ability and edge retention. I personally prefer a nice middle ground.
6:23 ...an old woodsman once gave me the advice, "Your hand is not a hammer". Very easy to avoid those welts! Thanks for the video & information, great job - would have loved to see each performance on a clamped piece of wood.
Those are just B roll shots, the assessment was over weeks of use. Sadly my production quality skills were not where they are today with this video. While I agree with you on the "hand hammer" technique, it is still a practice that many carpenters and furniture makers use. Maybe the Narex should have won that category since it gives you immediate feedback "this will cause nerve damage..."
Good presentation! I have several,of those chisels and agree with your assessment with the exception I thought the Stanley was too light, the handle was too small and the edge retention was worse than either Marples or Narex. I’ve been looking at the curved bevel Ashley Iles seems they would be the ticket for dt’s.
Thanks! Good comparison... Pfeil has a great chisel too. $40 each... my personal choice for a lifetime chisel. Buying one at a time. My 1/2" (12mm) was dead flat and required only a quick hone right out of the gate.
Got the irwin chisels only flattened half back as they are concave and could not be bothered removing all the metal at the back. Get hair popping sharp and seem well heat treated. If I do mor wood working may upgrade in future as I am more limited by my ability and not the tools.
Chisels seem to require lots of maintenance. I o let use them for rough work, so until I have the time to kill, I just run it on the random orbit sander on finer grits, works good enough for 2x4s. screw drivers (as long as the fit is good) seem to be another consumable that don’t last as long as things such as good pliers and good diagonal cutters
Your wood seemed to always be sliding around the bench. Seems like it'd be a good idea to keep it fixed in place to work on it. I guess it is a video on chisels rather than technique though. Just sayin.
Also, don't pare TOWARDS the hand holding the work. I highly recommend holdfasts. Just saying. Maybe everyone is not as accident prone as this old fart.
Phillip Yeager I sliced the tip of my thumb off with a chisel doing that once. needless to say I was squirming watching him pair with his hand right in front of it
I recommend holdfasts (the ones by Gramercy are good an inexpensive) and rubber drawer liner. If you drill the holdfast holes right, you should be able to clamp a piece anywhere on your bench, and the drawer liner is extra insurance against the piece sliding. Or just put it near the edge of the bench and use a clamp to hold it down out of frame. But seriously... That bit with you cutting towards your hand almost got me to just close the video window.
Basically a hobbyist review. Your criteria for which was easiest to sharpen gave me a good chuckle as you weren't sharpening anything you were re-profiling them. The harder your chisel is, the better it will keep an edge and the sharper that edge will be. Also, cutting anything on a wooden surface that isn't clamped down properly is not an accurate way of telling how a tool should perform. Chisel angles are typically engineered by the manufacturer bearing in mind the handle profile, blade length, overall length, hardness of the metal and blade profile. What on earth made you think that re-profiling something straight from a well respected manufacturer would be better than how they designed it? And for those of you that watch this later on looking for a decent chisel, NEVER hit a chisel with hand. It's a horrible habit and can cause long term damage to your hands if you do it frequently. This is silliness.
Legit thoughtful criticism dude. Thanks 🙏. I worked with the chisels off camera to actually get my impressions of the chisels. The on screen stuff was just b roll, and it was poorly clamped thinking I would get better shots (amateurish looking back at it). You’ve gotta start somewhere I suppose... I reprofiled the chisels to give them fair representation in similar species of wood and to take away any handicap a shitty steel with a high angle might have. Ease of sharpening is actually a legitimate point because unobtanium chisels may stay sharper for a little longer, but they would still not be suitable for hand joinery through more than a couple sets of dovetails. So you will need to resharpen the mid project. At a certain point a chisel can be too hard and skate on a sharpening plate. I personally like a balance of sharpenable and decent edge retention so I can periodically touch them up on a straup. My favorite on balance was really the ALDI chisel, but the veritas chisel was my favorite iteration of an unobtanium chisel. Thanks for the comment.
I understand and apologize if I sounded demeaning, that wasn't my intention. As for sharpen-ability, the right set of sharpening stones and proper technique will take care of any typical hardness for the myriad of steels available (even up to the 63-64 rock for some folded japanese chisels). There's a really nice channel that tests various sharpening stones and is very informative. As for cutting angles, again, angles would be determined by the manufacturer based off of various criteria and changing them all to the "same" angle isn't a fair way to test different chisels from different manufacturers simply because it might not be the optimum angle designated by the manufacturer (for example, the Lie-N's should have had a 30 degree angle on them). Thanks for making content though, I'm sure it takes up a lot of your time and it's appreciated. STILL DON'T HIT CHISELS WITH YOUR HAND! Make us a nice mallet to gawk at :)
On the mallet will do brother. On the angles totally agree, I think if I didn’t change them I get flamed by one set of people and if I did I get flamed by the other. IMHO any chisel should be able to handle any angle as some task require higher/lower angles than others if a chisel can’t handle one angle or another it’s no use to me. Some of the cheaper machine hardened chisels were almost untouchable with my diamond stones, which makes me think they were likely brittle. I would rather roll an edge than shatter an edge. I had never done the “hand hammer” technique until I saw Paul sellers do it. I have since dropped it.
Small tips for anyone that is setting up a new set of chisels and you find enormous convex bellies on the back. 1) Option 1: Get a cheap rotary tool (Dremel like tool) and some grinding stones. Lap just a little and then use the rotary for a while on an area slightly larger than where the stone lapped. Do that until you get the result you want. Much, much faster than pushing the chisel across the stone a couple hundred thousand times. 2) Better option: Send them back. I did option 1 on a set of Stanley Bailey chisels, made in Sheffield England that had shockingly awful machining/finishing. I will never, EVER put that kind of time into a tool again.
@@corymiller9854 That's because Narex are manufactured to a far better standard than these Stanley chisels were. You're not flattening the chisels I dealt with using sandpaper in 15 minutes. Or even 15 hours. If I hadn't already done it, I would gift and ship you the chisel so you could see how bad it was. I'm using DMT diamond stones and Shapton ceramic. Very fast metal removal.
I don't really worry that much about the flatness of the back except for the working edge, that last maybe 1/2 inch or less. Most of what I use them for is chopping mortise holes. As long as the length of the bevel is flat even a badly curved chisel can get the job done. Then again I don't do a lot of really fine joinery, mostly stuff requiring bruit strength like a work bench, etc..
+martino amello my rule of thumb is half the depth of the thickest stock I will work with the chisel must be dead flat. That was you can pare and mortise accurately. 1/2 from one side half from the other.
I know my Narex paring chisel is a better model than the cheapest specimen you had, but it was totally flat out of the box and even had a secondary bevel. I’ve also heard great things about their 8116 series. Since first posting this comment I have bought the Narex Premiums 8116s, which are manufactured to a higher quality than the model you used. Mine were flatter out of the box than the Sweethearts you have in this video. I’m not saying the Narex are better, in reality I bought them for the handle as I have osteoarthritis in nearly all my finger joints for which the larger handles are better suited. What I am stating is my experience with these chisels. They are also excellent for the hobbyist or student and good value for this standard. I’m new to woodworking and I already know not all chisels are created equal. Saying you can pick any old chisel and do the same standard of work with the same ease is inaccurate, or at least it is for me. For the last 18 months I’ve used a set of Marksman that have served me well and I will keep them as my "clouting, hogging" chisels. But even someone as uninformed as myself can see the difference between the Marksman chisels and the Narex Premiums 8116s. I thought the Stanley Sweethearts are styled after the Stanley 750s That we’re so popular in the earlier part of the last century? I do think the fact you were comparing the cheaper Narex with the best Stanley etc very misleading and unfair in this test. Surely if you are testing the top range of one manufacturer you should test the top range of them all. Nevertheless, it was informative and thank you for making it.
Thanks for this, just got back into woodworking after 2 decade hiatus. Got the harbor freights to start, they don't stand up very well. Will checkout the sweethearts next. perhaps not a scientific test but you had the right specifics.
I only had one bad Narex out of about 19, which was a new Narex. Note that the have a “pro” line too. Maybe they vary with batch? I have 6 different brands, one of which isa Japanese blue steel. The Vaiax and Narex are the best “value” chisels, and the Daitei are the best I have used.
It's all in the steel. If you don't have good steel, you don't have a good tool. Just about anything from cold rolled to high grade tool steels can be flattened and sharpened to a shaving edge. How long they hold an edge and their shape depends on the quality of the steel. Hard but not brittle. Good wear resistance and corrosion resistance. I've had chisels of dozens of brands and the good ones are pretty much where you happen to find them. That said, I've never seen good steel in the real cheap ones but have sworn by Stanleys, Tru Tempers and such for years. A good balance between quality and cost. I never had a chisel I was happy with out of the box. Always figured on spending a couple of hours getting all the bevels, flats and edges tuned up. The best ones I've had are ones I forged myself out of old shock absorber shafts or really old files.
Great comparison, thank you. I've got a set of narex I really like. The handles I find more comfortable than my other sets...Stanley and an unnamed set from my Dad's toolbox. From the things you said, I'd like to try some veritas tools.
Definitely worth a try if you have the opportunity. They go to a lot of the woodworking shows (Lee Valley that is) and bring almost everything with them. You should check it out next time they are in town.
i also bought the Aldi chisels after i saw a paul sellers video some time ago - not disappointed - compared to my much more expensive Stubai chisels i can see no difference at all
The Irwin Marples Chisel set that I own are an older socket type with a larger handle...i love them. Another chisel to try are the Wood River socket set sold by Woodcraft. I used to sell them and had good reports from customers.
Good video. As a professional cabinet maker, my choice of chisels are vintage: Stanley 750's, Wards Master (Greenlee), and Stanley 60's for the meat of work. The VERITAS and LN are awesome, but you can still find Stanley 750's and 720's for half the price. But I am also old tool biased. Its all about maintaining an edge, the less you have to sharpen the more work can be done. And cheap soft steel will NOT hold an edge for very long. I do agree, if it feels and looks good in your hand, none of these opinions matter. If a $2 tool feels good then rock on!!!
+Jon Woodworker good on you Jon. Agreed. The new 750s are pretty good, I have never used an old 750 but I have heard good things. My biggest problem with some modern steel is it is too hard. It needs to be the right balance of hardness. I like something in the middle, retains a decent edge but doesn't take forever to sharpen.
Great video. It's all about personal preference. I use a worksharp to flatten and sharp, so it's much quicker than freehand. I have a set of Sorby chisels . The boxwood handles are very comfortable and don't need a metal dowel sticking out. I also have a few "junk" chisels for rough jobs. Most of the cheapos don't take an edge. If I was buying again I would buy blades with hard A2 steel and turn boxwood handles. I don't see what is magic about 27 degrees. I sharpen mine to the 20 degree mark on my worksharp. The more acute the angle, the less wedging and resistance in the cut. I have never had a blade break. I bought a very old Sorby recently for £5. The steel was perfect for me, and seemed harder than my newer ones.
Best way to get a good chisel for cheap is to buy used Japanese chisels. Best craftsman out there. They laminate their steel either with paper white steel, blue steel, and both keep an edge like no other. Just do a little research so you can get the best possible one for the price. Keep an eye out for one with a clear lamination line, Japanese master craftsman signature on the blade, a hand made ring on the end of the handle, and make sure the hollow grind is still in tact. I bought a 15mm Japanese fully handmade mortising chisel for $10. I might make a video on how to find these great tools for cheap.
+Seth's Project 10$?!?!? Wow what a deal. Who was the maker? I have been scouring for a good source of japanese tools, I actually will be making an announcement about something here pretty soon.
I really wish I knew the maker. I love putting names to the hand made tools that I own, but unfortunately the eBay listing didn't have the craftsman's name in the details. I do own some pretty expensive daitei chisels. These are made by a guy named Teijiro Ohkubo. Absolutely excellent craftsman, and I am going to love owning these chisels for the rest of my life. You can actually see them in my latest video, and I show you the chisel that I bought for $10! At this point I have a few more, but at $120+ each... it gets expensive lol. Some people don't think buying expensive chisels is necessary, but for me... it's about the story that my tools have, and that motivates me to keep doing what I'm passionate about. There is just something about pulling out fully handmade chisels. 95% of my tools are Japanese. I love the simplistic nature of traditional Japanese woodworking. For me woodworking is about relaxing and creating something that is going to last lifetimes. I owned a few power tools, and I ended up selling them. Anything that I can do with a power tool.... I can do by hand..... no shortcuts. Just with a little bit more patience and skill. Just bought my new camera, and I'm going to be making some woodworking video's here really soon. Really excited!
Nice comparison. Keep in mind that you only need to level the back once. Seems like you disliked the Narex, maybe because of the handle not working with the hand bump?
I just finished doing the same. Very nice chisels. I have a set of 6 from 1" down. All were reasonably flat and time spent tuning them up to razor sharp was also reasonable. I don't need anything but these because the difference isn't worth it. I also really liked making my own handles. If I can figure out how to link a pic I will.
Thanks for the tutorial and the video. Curious if you sampled only one size from each brand or if all of them measured pretty much the same way. In other words were all of the Narex chisels poorly machined on the back right out of the box or did you just pick one from each brand to test? Thanks again
I have quite a few chisels including a set of Lie-Nielsen (5) and Two Cherries (6). I also have a bunch of garage sale chisels that include vintage Stanley 750 socket chisels, Buck Brothers, Thistle,.... the list goes on. The vintage Stanley are nice for history’s sake but do not hold an edge compared to the LN. The Two Cherries are nice for fine work, paring and shaping but are a bit lightweight for chopping. The LN do everything I need very we’ll and my set is old enough for include the 1/8” size which I use a lot. Are the LN and Veritas worth the price? Depends on your disposable funds and how much you like to sharpen.
Wood.Work.LIFE. Thanks! I thought I had subbed before but guess I didn't, or might've been on my old account. Anyway, I'm about to post on the FV group about doing a meet up in St Louis next weekend around The Woodworking Show. Be great to meet you!
My Narex were quite good in terms of a flat back with a slight hollow. On the other hand the discrepancy between my experience and yours indicates lack of consistency
That seems to have been a common theme with Narex owners, the steel is hard to touch even with diamond stones too. I think it might be overly hardened.
PMV-11 lasts by far the longest, but intermittent micro damages means you have to sharpen them for fine work. Narex is shaped consistently enough and is much much much easier to hone. Same with other cheaper alternatives.
not sure yet, just looked up ALDI chisels on amazon and not finding anything a lot of the other ones you mentioned. I just watched an old William Walker Co. video last night where he talked about his Stanley sweetheart chisels a little. I think it was his snowed in video. I also have played with the idea of making some from scratch, could make a good video. :-)
That Narex should have been sent back for replacement. None of mine were like that and if they had arrived twisted like that would have gone straight back. Also you got the Narex carpenters chisels there, they do a much finer version better for hand joinery with a better handle for using without a mallet.
Thank you for the review! I noticed at 1:33 you said the Work Zone was reasonably flat but at 3:32 you said it was nowhere near flat. I have the same chisels and they weren't too bad out of the package. Have resharpened them several times now! I have a few of the random Aldi tools and they are impressive for a tool from a grocer!!! I'd love to own some Veritas!!! Used them at my local WWS and they were smooth as butter!
+Robert Erickson the clip you were referring to is after quite a bit of flattening. I was referring to out of the box. They are hit or miss I have bought 4 sets and the chisels range from unusable needing to be hammered out to basically flat. They are good chisels, but for $1 each the manufacturing process I obviously inconsistent.
Help me understand, please. If they all came with an angle different than 27° was there some good reason for them to choose the other angles? What were those angles?
+Paul Bostwick a bunch of good reasons, 1) put then all through a worst case sharpening scenario since they all had to be changed by about 2 degrees to learn what they are like to work with. 2) remove the first bit of steel as this portion is usually over hardened. 3) ensure a consistent bevel angle so it doesn't flavor observations of performance 4) 27 degrees is a versatile angle that is both very sharp and fairly resilient (holding an edge) this slightly favors the cheap chisels 5) why not? They all came round about 25 degrees since they are bench chisels. Pairing chisels would have come slightly shallower and mortise chisels slightly steeper.
Those make sense to me, I think. For 1) is "worst case sharpening scenario" having to remove a bunch of material to get to an edge? so "what they are like to work with" in that sense is what they are like to sharpen? (seems fair - but maybe i did not get it) 2) gotcha. 3) did seem the goal - I was buying that from the start) 4) that might best have been mentioned in the video (as well as why it favors the cheap chisels? I wonder why?) 5) the only reason not to (and i think your other points outweigh this) is to let the chisel perform as they come (as far as angle) only dressed up a bit to give them a fighting chance... Thanks for the fast response (and the very good video)
No problem. I didn't favor the cheap chisels on purpose, I like my chisels at 27 degrees, a rather steep angle for some, and it gives softer steel chisels a fighting chance at retaining an edge and makes a chisel with good steel good an edge for a long time. Thanks for the comment, always glad to engage in some good conversation.
It's sad seeing Marples at the low end of the scale. I have some very nice Marples chisels from 40-50 years ago - one of which I rescued from use as a paint-can opener & stirrer.
Older chisels like that are much better than the newer marples he was reviewing. The one he was reviewing was most likely made in China with crappy materials. 40 to 50 years ago they would've been made in the US with tool steels most likely. I have a stanly chisel that was made in the usa from my dad and it sharpens up and holds an edge very well. Stanly doent make much if anything in the usa anymore.
@@BryceKimball7.3Marples would be made in Sheffield 40 years ago, not USA. Not sure about Irwin, but I am unimpressed with all the modern Irwin tools I have.
All my chisels are old and bought 2nd hand. Good quality Sheffield steel by makers such as R. Sorby which are perfectly flat and super sharp... they piss over any modern Irwin or Marple chisels and can be purchased for a few pounds.
Anyone else here got some new chrome vanadium chisels? can I ask you all have you guys found they get rusty way faster than other types of tools? I hate chrome vanadium, you would think the chromium content makes them somewhat rust resistant, but they seem to rust faster than straight carbon steel.
Good video. Thank you for doing it. I always wonder what you get for you money. I have a lot of chisels in my shop; from some DR Burton's from the 1830s to 750s and Japanese laminates I got while working overseas. The ones my hands keep coming back to for day to day task are the old 750s and the blue Marples. In that respect I agree with Tayler Made. Steel is so good theses days the chisel is not going to be the deciding factor, its the hand that uses it. What ever feels best in your hand is best. One caveat, I think every one should own one great chisel so you know what great is like and can make your own decision.
Brian Minghella I was the first person to thumbs up your opinions, but I recognize that they are opinions. I got taught how to cut dovetails from Frank Klauz and he likes to blue marples as well. So now we got a World recognized cabinet maker, as well as a small-timer like me who both like the same tools.Then again I'm professional cabinet maker. I got over 100 kitchens under my belt and I tend to go with what works. This isn't my Play Time. This is how I put food on my family's table so I don't tend to mess around with things that take a long time and still don't get the job done. with all that being said if you like spending money on chisel go for it. Still no professional that I knows places their inability or ability to do a job on there tools.
Brownstone Custom Cabinetry . There is this thing called Benchmarks . I got taught the old fashioned way and one of the first things I got taught is this .The most valuable tools you own are your hands ,so look after them . Dont use blunt tools or cheap tools. You will more likely have an accident with them and do permanent damage to your hands. Having been at the bench so long I have seen many accidents .I have seen fingers ripped off hands by fools who did not listen when I told them how to do things . I have taken guys to hospital because they refused to listen to sound advice passed down from generation to generation. TO MANY people take up this trade for glamour and ego and refuse to listen to common sense . I have used those blue handled marples chisels and I have a set of the boxwood handled version . I dont like those to much either but I use them for rough work. Its not just about the edge holding and sharpness of the same . Cheap chisels edges literally fold over when you look under the microscope at them ! Thats bad . Now I could never dictate to the apprentices what chisels they should get but if they bought cheap ones it was a good sign they were not committed and passionate about the work. Bad Chisels encourage bad habits and bad habits lead to inferior work . If you dont know that then your working timber different to me . Kitchen makers these days ( I make kitchens too now and then ) are generally not doing what I call traditional cabinetry but rather a hybrid version thats quicker so they can compete with the panel product crap most people cough up for . They dont mortice and tenon their frames , they screw/dowel/domino them and use any number of cheat fixings to knock it over quick. I dont do that. All my work is free standing custom made with no short cuts . I trained under my grandfather , a shipwright ,back in the day when those guys did fit out for the best of the best . I inherited a few of his chisels but most were taken by my uncle . Cast steel chisels by Ward (excellent quality if you can find them) and other famous makers such as Sorby (still around ) Marples aint what it used to be though. Okay for weekend warriors but I think their steel is crap to be honest. Its not just the steel though because its got to be hardened and tempered with great skill . many of those forged cast steel hinges were hardened through stretching and pounding the steel to get the right qualities . You can tell the difference straight away when you use them . I used to watch the smart asses struggling to cut clean dovetails with their cheap chisels. The edge shits itself as soon as they start to chop out the pins , so they start hitting harder and chewing it up. Then they get pissed and start saying things like 'that will do' . Couple of months down the track having done a crap job you put them on something else and they get smart assed and fuck that up too. Eventually they leave because we had to fix one of their screw ups and they start out on their own blowing their trumpet about training 'with the best'. I see it all the time . They undercut the good craftsman by cutting corners and the customer ,not knowing any better goes with the cheaper quote and sends a good man to the wall while the hack with the cheap chisels carves out a customer base with lies and inferior work. Thats why I dont take apprentices anymore.
Brownstone Custom Cabinetry . No Bud ,you did not offend me and I have massive hands too . Up to a point I get what your saying and you know ,its your choice . The thing is for me I learned that power gripping your chisels to control them is what you do when they are not sharp Yeah ? We have all done it . But a really sharp Chisel you can hold it lightly with your finger tips and the sharp edge will go where you want it with sharp strikes from a metal hammer . Once you have to grip it ,its time to sharpen it. I sharpen my chisels with wet stones because its quick and you get the best edge man , just razor sharp . I like the control and accuracy you get when your edge is good . I like the sound of sharp cutting tools. My foreman used to give us hell when he heard us pushing a blunt plane. "I can hear it" he would shout. And you can you know ? Its like this . Making a living as a wood butcher is tough so you know ,why make it tougher using crap tools ? I am a heavily built guy too but I treat my hands like ladies. I dont use my fists to tap a chisel EVER . So bad for your wrists . I may look like a weight lifter but I dont throw my weight around the bench . I do it the Zen way . Relaxed focus, swift and sure because i am not fighting the timber . I work quickly because I make sharp tools a religion . I have built massive pipe organ carccasses that took weeks to dovetail together . All cut by hand with very sharp Jap chisels . You try cutting dovetails for days on end and you will soon appreciate the difference . The thrill of chopping smart and fast with a perfectly balanced jap chisel is just Wow. Its a thrill . Seriously. Its like when your planer blades are blunt and you have to push down on the bed to get the wood to register . Its bad , its sounds bad and you dont get as good a face. I dont like to see guys struggle with inferior tools when they could be getting high using good ones.
The thing is for a workshop yeah great soft steel is brilliant easy to sharpen and expensive but for site carpenters like me a cheap set of Irwin chisels at £60 do the trick because you use them for all sorts of things. On site your so likely to hit your chisel on a nail by accident and with a soft chisel such as these expensive ones you are destroying it straight away but with Irwin you can hit them into a nail and only slightly gouge the edge which can be re ground
If I can get hold of them here in the heartland I will give them a shot. Most of what I get hold of, even at antique shops are old Ohio manufactured steel, and modern american and Canadian brands.
cfen matisse I personally use them for my everyday use, being a cabinet maker myself. They are not hard enough to be a pain to sharpen, but hold an edge well. they also have a best feel and weight out of all the chisels i have tried in my opinion.
I have some really cheap ones some Freud and some Irwin Marples. You get what you pay for the Freud’s stay sharp forever and they just feel great. The Marples is a good chisel and mine were flat but they have a uncomfortable handle.
A very informative and well made video. Bravo! I have a variety of chisels from a variety of eras and manufacturers. All are good for something I do. Like most, I understand that correct sharpening and angle matters far more than the grade of steel.
I am a far better engineer than I am a woodworker. Chisels are very easy to modify. As I am sure you already know, keep them cool and you can take a lot of metal off without compromising the tempering.
I get that if it were a cheap antique, but if I bought something off the shelf and had to do the level of modification some people do...that is like going to a restaurant and paying to cook your own dinner. But if you could get an old cheap high quality steel chisel you could modify, I suppose you could make anything
Nothing is perfect 'Out of the box'. I realised thirty years ago, 'Anything made by man, can be made better'. This is based on the fact that almost everything made is made by people that want to make money. Time is money so to speak. I do accept the principal of the law of diminishing returns. I modify my wood chisels, cold steel chisels, drill bits, etc, to the task I intend using them for.
Sound logic, and I agree, most products are made with the intention to make money and not to meet the needs of every individual. But yes, if a tool needs to be made modified to perform a task, you better believe I have at it.
Hmm, I just bought and received Narex Chisels as my first set.... and then I find this video! Although I will say I looked for those cheap chisels that Paul Sellers recommended here in Canada and they were very expensive... probably because they have to be imported. It looks like the Narex should work just fine, but may not of been the best choice. Live and learn!
The Narex are fine. You will like them. This isn't saying what is bad, it is just saying what is different. Once you prepare them, they should serve you very well.
I think you did a pretty good test of all of them. My take away is that the extreme extra cost of the veritas and lie-Nielson in no way justifies only slightly better utility. One thing you didn't mention at all about the socket chisel design is that they are super easy to make new handles for. If you ever beat the tar out of the handle or you simply want a different shape for one, it takes no time to turn one on the lathe. I even have different length handles for some of my socket chisels -- sometimes i like a long one (like 12" or so) to use the chisel like a slick. Good vid. Thanks.
Ya I thought about that, but I don't have a lathe yet. Maybe I can make some new handles for the Lie Nielsen or the Stanley out of some of this Osage Orange I have.
Wood.Work.LIFE. Nice video. Have a new set of Narex and would like to get a set of the Aldi's closer to Father's Day as you mentioned. Just heard about those a couple of months ago. FYI, Jay Bates had a nice video where he turned new handles for his chisels and even got bands for them that have his logo imprinted for a little extra flair.
I saw that Jay Bates video, I loved it such a cool idea, he got the rings from a duck call company if I recall. I haven't ventured into turning yet, I feel like I should really get my dust collection going first :) Thanks for the heads up, hope to see you around. Good luck on finding some Aldi chisels, I kind of like that they are special release at different times of the year.
you don't necessarily need dust collection to start. A good particulate mask for the dust and fume mask for the finishing (which I would assume you already have as a wood worker) is all you need. A broom and dust pan followed by a shop vac will take you far. Dust collection can reduce cleanup time, but it is not necessary. Bite the bullet, watching those shavings fly off in a continuous ribbon on green wood is soooo therapeutic.
BTW, a good quality full-face mask should be considered a requirement as well. Of course the PPE is only a requirement if you value your health and safety...HAHaHA. Another plus is learning how to sharpen a whole new set of tools :-)
Great review. Obviously you aren't able to test every available set of chisels, so I'll add one more to your list: Olympia 30-184 4pc from Amazon. I bought these a little over a year ago as a cheap set to hold me over until I can make the ones I really want (I have an awesome chunk of D4 steel that will be a PITA to sharpen but will hold an edge like no other; should be able to get at least six chisels out of it). Normally on Amazon for $15 or less, I got mine for $9 used in "like new" condition. The package had been opened but the original factory sharpening marks were still present, and there was not the slightest sign that they had ever been used. I spent a Sunday afternoon partially getting them into shape, but mostly just watching movies with my wife, so I don't know how long they really took but it was slower than I had expected (coming from a beater set of big box store Stanley's and a contractor grade DeWalt), because the steel was much harder than I had expected. This Sunday is exactly one year since I did that work and I have only needed to touch them up with a fine stone a few times. I even hand mortised the openings for heat registers in a bamboo floor with them. That stuff is both hard and abrasive, yet they still turned a decent curl in hardwood immediately after. At this point the making-my-own-chisels project has been bumped way down my list of priorities because these have far exceeded my expectations. I am thankful to the fool who returned them without using them because that very low price is what convinced me to try them rather than any of the other sub-$20 sets on Amazon. Oh, and by the way, I find them even more attractive in person than in the photos. I like the style and ergonomics, at least for my hands and use.
Chisels, planes and handsaws are among my favourite tools. Hi end quality tools will always suit the artisan, craftsman & professionals while the entry level chisels will always suit the handyman and weekend warrior. Big difference is steel quality and the mileage between sharpenings. Personally I use both - cheap chisels for rough & crude work where the chisel may be subject to damage and the quality tools for more precision cabinetry type of work. They both have their place.
Harbor freight is good enough to build a good bench and suit you while you hunt for old tools.
@@thewalnutwoodworker6136 Good enough, but that depends on how much your time is worth. If you have a high paying job, you're more likely to be bothered by having to resharpen multiple times a day when you can sharpen once a week. If you don't have much expendable income, you're going to use what you can afford. There are also chisels that are not so terrible, for less than top dollar
@@thewalnutwoodworker6136 you can roll an edge on a harbor freight chisel with a few modest mallet strikes
@@veganpotterthevegan If you have a strop on your bench you can keep them sharp with 10 seconds of work
@@thewalnutwoodworker6136 Sure, every other strike you don't roll. You can't strop away a rolled edge. I gave up with my cheap chisels and they're backups that I sharpen with a grinding wheel. The metal is trash and soft anyway so I'm not too worried about the temper. It makes almost no difference.
the Stanley sweethearts are not based off of the Lie-Nielsen. The Lie-Nielsens are based off the vintage Stanley 750s. I assume the sweethearts are their current day cheap version of the companies original (and very desirable) 750s. Keep up the good videos.
That is what I thought I said...Sometimes I not talk so good...
LMAO
You got lucky with the sweetheart, all the ones I bought had huge bellies and took hours to fix.
did you buy the kit or individuals? This was a solo chisel, I wonder if that has anything to with it or if I truly go lucky. Bellies in your chisels are a PAIN!
I bought them as individuals from lee valley. I am happy with them now but it was a lot of work considering the cost. In hindsight I would have rather shelled out a little more for a set of fewer Lie Nielsen chisels.
4:47 I've made that mistake a few times and seen my bones. As they say, cut toward your chum, not toward your thumb.
Rick McQuay
I screamed in my head when I saw that. I learned the hard way.
I started sweating so hard, especially with how dull the damn thing is
@@154Jamesp the first time i did it was a thew days ago and i just had to laugh it off thinking about my stupidity
Ty for advice sir.
Mr Wood.Work - I have a jagged scar across my right palm (I'm left-handed) that went to the bone , required tons of stitches to close and months to heal - and 40 yrs later my thumb is still partially numb- all bc I was rushing with a dull chisel and had my one hand in front of the other trying to hold a piece - instead of taking an extra second and clamping it to my bench. There a a few places in your demo video like that that are accidents waiting to happen. Please be careful and secure your work.
Will do, I regret my technique on camera looking back at it. Thanks for the well wished. I am much more careful generally.
@@WoodWorkLIFE "more careful generally." Really? The only trouble with, "I usually am careful." is that sometimes you're not. It only takes a minute or so to get and use a couple of clamps versus a lifetime of regret as alluded to by Tioga Fretworks. I am a carver and had a couple of close shaves myself for the same reason; namely not thinking ahead.
I enjoyed your review regarless of how unscientific it was. It is my opinion that the quality/grade of steel is of greater importance than price. Of course, the better quality usually means a higher price. Although cheaper chisels will do the job, more often then not, they need more effort and time to maintain a good edge which can be very discouraging to the novice. I prefer a higher quality steel because they usually hold an edge better, needing only a touch-up now and then. Also, once tuned to your liking, they need much less frequent full-service sharpening.
Lower-end chisels provide an advantage, though. Their relatively soft steel may require more frequent attention, but learning how to sharpen well with a cheaper and softer unit will benefit you with a whole bunch of sharpening experience BEFORE you graduate to better quality blade. Used chisels from yard sales are a good place to start as well.
@@michaelheurkens4538 what I meant is I am more careful when I am not trying to get shots of using the chisels vs. Actually using the chisels. This was a long time ago and I am much more aware of demonstrating proper technique rather than getting interesting footage.
I personally think there is a balance between edge retention and ease of sharpening. It is a fine line but you'll know when you've crossed it as your chisel skates on a diamond plate. I think heat treated A2 and pmv-11 might be too hard sometimes. To me I am going to sharpen or at least hone my chisel every third dovetail and before any pairing task anyway. So I would rather have something that is easier to make razor sharp, than something that will stay kinda sharp longer.
@@WoodWorkLIFE Understood. Thanks for your advice on the steel harness/edge life vs ease of sharpening.
If I was you, I'd buy or make a vice before worrying about 'lifetime' chisels. IMHO, expensive chisels are mainly used by the boys with all the kit, and no clue.
as a retired cabinet maker i can tell you i never bought the fancy expensive chisels. why invest that much money into a tool that will require just as much sharpening to maintain as a cheap one. generally i found the difference between an expensive chisel and a cheap one was the user.
I'm just an amateur, mostly adept at making wood chips, but it seems to me that the costs associated with those expensive chisels... well, they should show up absolutely perfect and come with a dude to sharpen it for you!
Doesn't it also depend on what you're doing with the chisels? For real basic stuff like cleaning up a hinge mortise, I have a cheap set of Craftsman chisels that someone gave me. But for removing waste in a dovetail, they don't do very well because of their shape. However, for a five dollar set of Aldi's chisels you can grind them to whatever shape you need.
I would think the A2 tool steel would have to last longer than cheaper steel or they wouldn't use it. The real question is how much longer do they hold an edge and is it worth the money? But I do see your point. Even an expensive chisel will fail with abuse. And a cheap chisel will work well in the hands of someone with good technique.
to be honest i think you will find the cheap chisel makers get their steel from the same manufacturers as the expensive ones. like clothing you pay for the label.
cheap chisel makers never reveal their steel, process or hardness, either because their buyers don't care or the result would be embarrassing. Less expensive product concede that they will have less expensive material and labor. A fine chisel (expensive) will be cast perfect, very sharp, and maintain the sharpness even working on difficult material
I've used cheap ones, expensive ones and in the end just get the same result. Maybe a bit more sharpening with the cheapos. But, you get good at sharpening technique and its not an issue. I tossed one cheapo, because the metal was a little gummy, but not a huge loss ($2). Ouch!
Get you some Stanley FatMax chisels, I’ve been beating mine up for over 10 yrs and they are still going strong and hold an edge really well. I build and repair guitars so I use them on everything from Spruce to Maple, Mohagany to Ebony and they always do the job. You can get a set of 3 in 1/4”, 1/2” and 1” sizes for around $27 + tax. They are a great value and work just as well as those real expensive ones if you know how to sharpen and hone them.
I've had them in the past and wasn't a hug fan, but I'll have to check them out again.
Excellent video, I liked that you took the time to carefully test each of the chisels in a variety of tasks.
Personally, I'm a fan Japanese chisels but the cost can be quite prohibitive to the novice woodworker so I completely understand why you didn't include them.
I have a set of antique Narex chisels that were still in the unopened box when I go them. The backs weren't anywhere near as bad as your example. And the edges they take are exceptional. I got sick of the blokes I was working with 'borrowing' these beautiful old tools, so I went out and bought a set of Stanley chisels for work, leaving my Narex set for home use. The Stanley chisels were a real pain to get into anything that I consider as working order. Though they do the job just fine now that they are. I just felt I had to stand up for the trusty Narex chisel, as I know mine are all great tools to use.
7:43 Actually the Lie Nielsen was designed after the Stanley 750s (SW)
I am confused why have you used a 27 degree angle when the primary bevel is usually 25 degrees and the secondary bevel is 35 degrees
I think that they were all 25 degrees and he wanted to see how hard they were to sharpen.
I commend you for buying all the chisels and trying to make it objective. I realize this was quite a while ago but I thought I'd share my two cents with regards to your choice of criterion:
-Flattening the back: You essentially only do this once. While it's a proxy for quality, I would have only evaluated this in units of time until flat.
-Initial Sharpening: I think this was an erroneous metric. Different manufacturer's have had different initial bevel angles, and different users will seek out different angles than your 27*.
-Edge retention: I believe this is arguably the most important metric, once you determined that all of the are at least usable. I would have operationalized this (made it quantifiable) by numbers of dovetails chopped until it became dull/started compressing rather than shearing fibers. THEN, it may have been worthwhile to directly compare if any were more quickly to returned to sharp.
-Torture Test: I'm not sure what, if any, information this provided.
I do agree, the terminating side bevels (and perhaps its extra length) set the Veritas PMV-11 in a league of their own. I'm skeptical on how superior their powdered metal is vs. Lie-Nielsen's cryo-A2 (I know Lee-Valley claims it to be superior to A2 but there's no mention of their comparitor being cryo-treated, and we know cryo-treated A2 to perform much better than untreated A2).
I rock my Aldi chisels but I'm likely to get LV's or LN's on a long enough timeline. The truth of the matter is it's ultimately subjective in terms how much you dislike sharpening and/or how valuable your shop time is. If you're pro, obviously having to sharpen doesn't add value to your customer, so paying for better edge retention/ease of sharpening is worth investing in. Similarly, if you have little shop time and/or hate sharpening, you may want to pay to be able to sharpen less often.
Hi future Rick here, all fair points. I think the big differentiator and a thing a lot of people overlook is, no edge is bulletproof and a good joiner will frequently share their tools. It is better to have a good balance of edge retention and sharpenability. While the LN steel retains a fine edge as does the PMV11, the A2 skates on my diamond stones. Which means it's a PIA to sharpen, which I do frequently. The ALDI chisels are some of the finest cheapo tools I have ever had my hands on but the Veritas is what I always find myself reaching for years later. This mostly due to geometry and ergonomics. The Line Nielsens are DAMN fine tools though
Chisels are a sharpened bar of steel with a handle on it. There is no magic. Tang or socket is a preference. Wood on the handle is aesthetic as long as it doesn't crumble when you hit it. As long as the steel is reasonably hard, the only real difference is you might sharpen one a bit more often than another. There is nothing wrong with liking a beautiful tool. It doesn't make them work any better.
I really like the way you explain techniques. I'm self taught and make no claim of being an exceptional woodworker but I keep learning every project. Thanks for being there
Keep working at it, you will get there. Thanks for the kind words!
I have a set of 6 Irwin Marples. Flatbacked right out of the box, took very little time to initiate them. They sharpen up well and hold their edge. I don't really understand your criticism of them. Maybe I just got lucky with the set I was given.... and maybe you weren't.
Ummm...I don't mean to be a jerk, but when you were flattening the backs, you said that the Irwin/Marples had soft enough steel that it was easy to flatten. Then when you were talking about changing the bevel angle, all of a sudden the Irwin/Marples had hard steel that made the bevel angle the worst to correct.
Also, I think you buried your lead. Your opinion seems to be that at the top of the market, price correlates perfectly with quality. That's no surprise, I have yet to see a tool review where the reviewer had the guts to say differently. Because your top end opinion was so trite, you should have focused on your secondary conclusion, which seems to be that the HF and Aldi chisels are way superior value to the mid range chisels.
Fair point, I caught that after my edit. The flattening portion was halfway through the flattening. When all was said and done, the Irwin Marples took the longest to get sharp. You can do almost anything with the ALDI chisel, but it has wide bevel edges, it is also quite easy to sharpen. The Stanley was the overall best value, but the Veritas was the only true bevel edge chisel.
+Matt Pethybridge thanks for the feedback Matt. The Stanley, Aldi, and Harbor Freight chisels are phenomenal value. The Veritas is in a league of its own.
I was really hoping someone would write this comment. Best all around value is the aldi's but the higher priced were the preferred? Didn't make much sense.
Plus he uses his chisels for pairing. I’ve never gotten advanced enough to do any pairing, but my cheaper ‘carpenter grade’ Stanleys have pared a lot of wood and helped me feed myself and my kids...
I used to be embarrassed about some of my low-buck tools and yankee-frugal methods. I got over that like twenty-five years ago thanks to Mike Dunbar. Yes, the Windsor Chair Guru. I’d bet he never measured the angle on his wood chisels, either LOL. He did have good tools because he bought and used the best for the job - and the best tools were often far less costly than the expensive ones.
Well that’s enough- I’ve got to go learn me some about that there wood pairing.
I would also say its hard to compare quality on any hand tool until you have used it for 20 years, at that point a lot can change. If I invested 94$ in a hand tool I would expect it to last me a lifetime and then some.
Quality steel = to be hardened & tempered to the proper HRC = edge retention = less sharpening.
umm this video proved that was not the case. hardness does not equate edge retention. in fact the harder something is the more prone to shatter, because they are more brittle. this is why "harder" materials are used for impact resistance through their mass. anvils, hammers, rollers etc. the edge loses much of its impact resistance because it's a small fine edge, taking more of the brittle characteristics. there are expectations but it's not going to be steel here.
This video "proved" something?
Hardness , in this case, to the correct level is a balance between soft and hard, giving you the best edge retention but not to hard to be brittle! If the steel is to soft it will not keep an edge as long as a blade that is correctly hardened. The steels ability to be hardened to the correct level is a function of the steels quality and formulation giving it the ability to be hardened to the level desired to give the best balance. I have used many different chisels over the last 50 years of woodworking and the extreme at both ends of the spectrum of price are in my experience not as desirable. One for the lack of quality steel and the other because of the price. The Narex has been the best of the bunch that I have used on quality and price, Stanley if you can find an older set is good too, but the newer stuff is not even close to the old quality. There is more to it than just edge life, there is also life of the tool, I have literally used up half inch and Three quarter inch chisels that were of low quality steel, but the better quality not only requires less sharpening, but you grind away less steel when sharpening each time as less was required to be removed to achieve a new edge. As far as flattening the backs, Yes it is great if they are ready to go. I however don't find the extra price a good reason here as well. You generally only have to flatten the back of your blades once in their lifetime, so it is not a big deal to have to do that one time!I agree that there is really no reason to spend $55 a chisel like a set of Lie-Nielsens but $12 or $13 per chisel for Narex works out to be fare to me! Everyone has their own idea of what is reasonable by way of price and quality. What is a good fit for me is not necessarily the same for another. I will not say anything bad about someone that needs to be frugal, god knows I have been there for more years than I would like as I am sure many have been. So buy a set of cheep tools if you need to, you may find that they are all you need especially if it turns out that you don't do as much woodworking as you thought you were going to. later if you find that your really hooked on the sport, then spend a little more for higher quality tools what ever you like, after all it is your money and your pride in the tools you have, and it really doesn't matter what I or anyone else thinks about the price.
@@mikesmicroshop4385 love this comment mate. Couldn't have put it better, I completely agree with everything you're saying. Although I really don't need them, but I want some Lie Nielsen chisels lol.
Appreciate you sharing these results!
I wish you would have snuck in Rob Cossman's IBC chisels into that lineup. :-)
This is the second time, in as many days, that I've heard the Narex bench chisels don't come flat. So, I'll steer away from them. I did purchase a set of the Narex paring chisels - those honking long things, from Lee Valley. I just got done hand sharpening them all to 13,000 grit. I didn't really have a huge problem getting the backs flat - but they are so long, I just focused on getting the cutting edge flat.
Haven't had a chance to really put them to work, but from the wee bit I fooled around with them on a 2x4 that had the misfortune of being too handy, I think I will really enjoy them. The long layout makes them feel good in the hand(s) when paring a surface flat.
I would be happy to, I was trying to be exhaustive with my comparison (Shy of Swedish and Japanese steel)...@robcosman if you want to send me one for the companion article I am working on for this video, I would be happy to include it...
I have a set of Sheffield Steel I bought 20yrs ago and they have had hard use. My Irwins went away as they did not hold an edge. If I replaced them I would use Veritas.
I am looking for some new chisels. I had forgotten about the Aldi chisels from Paul Sellers. Thanks!
+Sean C they are not from Paul Sellers they are from ALDI, Liie the grocery store. They are usually on sale around father's day when they have all the tools out.
any recommendation for best chisel for serious exterior abuse?
basically I want decent sharpness as invincible as physically possible
A vintage set of USA made craftsman chisels from the 1950s and 60s. They were made by Western Forge and are good quality for construction work. I still use a set that I bought new in 1965.
I use the narex and Irwin. Mine were flat. I also have the mortise chisels for the Narex. I think they do the job and sharpening is not bad after the initial one. I can't afford the veritas.
Doing the job is key.
Those chisels from harbor freight are good enough to get you going for enough time to find a quality antique chisels.
Thanks. Very helpful. Yes, cleaning up dove tails.
I find that my IRWIN chisels are great for opening up cans of paint lol. No...they are ok. I really don't use chisels a whole lot but they work just fine for what I use them for.
They're fine, it doesn't seem like you get a whole lot for the price difference compared to the practically free HF and ALDI chisels.
Chris Parker I
I bought a chisel from Woolworth's [ yes it was long time ago ] for a couple of quid to do a specific job and had no worry about it being damaged as I did not want to use one of my best . OK so the cutting edge was but welded onto the rest and was only an inch long . IT was fantastic and held its edge even when being roughly treated .
I liked the comparisons. Even when you were talking about the grip you acknowledged that is really just personal taste. The only thing I wish you would have clarified is which chisel went dull first. They'll all eventually go dull with use. But was there a chisel that held its edge longer?
I watched all the videos on Veritas's chisels. Supposedly it is awesome, at least according to them. I bought one of their plane irons but haven't used it enough to make a judgment.
I own a set of Narex chisels. You are absolutely right about the hollow on the bottom. The hollow grind on the bevel is preferred by some. But it took me forever to flatten the backs of all my Narex chisels.
Thanks for taking the time and money to test all of the chisels.
Thank you for the thoughtful comment,
Edge retention is sort of a double edge sword. If the chisel retains and edge better it also going to be a bugger to sharpen. I was trying to test edge retention with cutting the mortise, but unfortunately after that test none of them were "sharp."
Not an exhaustive, or scientific opinion, but I can tell you from my own personal use, the Veritas and the Lie Nielsen chisels hold and edge through a whole project (sharp enough to shave), just needing honing a few times for fine work. The Narex, Stanley, and ALDI chisels are probably in the same league edge retention wise. The Irwin and the HF are at the bottom edge retention wise, they both roll an edge very easily, but the HF chisels are a joy to sharpen, they put on such a sharp edge so fast.
Wood.Work.LIFE. I was looking for edge retention comparison. The longer the better. I have no problem with sharpening taking a long time. I use a worksharp set to its most acute angle. It takes a couple of seconds before use. I bought a set of Sorby bevel edged with box wood handles decades ago. They are very comfortable. If I were starting up I would like sharp bevel edges for cutting dovetail joints, hard steel and boxwood handles.
The softer the steel the easier they are to sharpen and the quicker they are to lose an edge. When I was doing my own research on steels and chisels, I heard the O1 steels take a finer edge but need to be sharpened more often. The A2 steel is much harder, doesn't take quite as fine an edge but holds it longer. Those are the two main tool steels. Then there are the Chromium manganese steel that most chisels are made of.
I think with most of them, if you simply strop them regularly, you will rarely have to sharpen them. It's easier to maintain an edge than create one.
I think you're paying for the fit and finish on the higher end chisels more than anything else. Look up Blue Spruce Toolworks if you really want sticker shock. They're over $100 a chisel. But out of the box they're flat and the handles are excellent. But are they worth the price tag? I bought a set of their dovetail chisels because they were ground specifically to get into tight areas. I don't regret buying them but I do think there are other cheaper options that would work just as well.
Enjoy the video immensely. I have professional grade japanese bench chisels which hold an edge very well. I'm retentive about honing before, and, after use. I have 2 Narex long paring chisels which I'm very happy with, and a set of Pfeil short butt chisels which have immaculate steel. I have both LN and Veritas hand planes which is where I spent my money. Also wild about vintage Bedrocks and wooden planes. Just a tool junkie. Thanks for the video.
Happy, there is such a wide array out there now, that I hesitate to make any recommendation. Go with hand forged craftsmanship. If you can afford it, the blue steel laminate holds an edge very well. I have the middle grade (professional) ori-gami white steel laminate that I'm very happy with. I'm retentive about keeping the edge up to speed, and hone before and after each use. Good luck. Even Grizzly is selling japanese chisels now. I got mine from Traditional Woodworker, but they are no longer in business.
No problem Phillip, I have some white steel Japanese chisels coming. I am debating doing a follow up on this video. What do you think?
In researching Japanese chisels I have learned so much about the historical and modern manufacturing process of the forging and smithing those amazing tools, I also didn't realize how much of the best Japanese steel isn't even coming from Japan anymore. Come to think of it, how could a smith afford the rent in Japan anymore...
Very nice comparison. Nice video. I am learning and gathering some information. I want to make the best choice that I am able.
Do you have any proof and opinion on spoon chisels? Wide mouth ones and narrow, half pointed spoon ones?
How can you possibly get a feel for the chisel when your workpiece is sliding all over the place? The chisels didn't fail this 'test', you did!!
Great video, even the second time around. I'm still using the set of Aldi chisels I won in your GAW a while back and still enjoying how well they work.
That's awesome! Thanks for checking back in. How are things going?
@@WoodWorkLIFE Really good all things considered. I spend most of my time in my shop anyhow so this whole social distancing thing doesn't affect me that much.
I didn't feel there was a strong case presented to purchase tools that were 10-15x more expensive except for the initial work required to flatten and sharpen the cheaper chisels. A couple of the chisels hard harder still so that would mean longer time before needing to sharpen. But again, you are going to be paying a lot for that feature. For people like me that just need to have the proper tool available when I need it, buying cheap but adequate tools seems the way to go. I do have a set of Irwin chisels that seem nice and I just bought a harbor freight "4 for $5.00" set to supplement.
That is kind of the point of these shootouts, really just to show how much you CAN get done with the everyman tool, and show you why you might want to spend the extra on the ultimate of any given tool. I find the hardness to be a challenge between sharpen-ability and edge retention. I personally prefer a nice middle ground.
6:23 ...an old woodsman once gave me the advice, "Your hand is not a hammer". Very easy to avoid those welts! Thanks for the video & information, great job - would have loved to see each performance on a clamped piece of wood.
Those are just B roll shots, the assessment was over weeks of use. Sadly my production quality skills were not where they are today with this video. While I agree with you on the "hand hammer" technique, it is still a practice that many carpenters and furniture makers use. Maybe the Narex should have won that category since it gives you immediate feedback "this will cause nerve damage..."
Good presentation! I have several,of those chisels and agree with your assessment with the exception I thought the Stanley was too light, the handle was too small and the edge retention was worse than either Marples or Narex.
I’ve been looking at the curved bevel Ashley Iles seems they would be the ticket for dt’s.
Why not just curve the bevel of a cheapo chisel and have at it?
Thanks! Good comparison... Pfeil has a great chisel too. $40 each... my personal choice for a lifetime chisel. Buying one at a time. My 1/2" (12mm) was dead flat and required only a quick hone right out of the gate.
narex richters are cheaper and i feel they have a better feel and stay sjarper longer.
Which Narex chisel did you use. Narex Richter chisels review a lot better than what you are saying
The Lie Nielsen is actually a copy to a traditional Stanley design.
Got the irwin chisels only flattened half back as they are concave and could not be bothered removing all the metal at the back. Get hair popping sharp and seem well heat treated. If I do mor wood working may upgrade in future as I am more limited by my ability and not the tools.
I love the look of the irwin handle.
Chisels seem to require lots of maintenance. I o let use them for rough work, so until I have the time to kill, I just run it on the random orbit sander on finer grits, works good enough for 2x4s. screw drivers (as long as the fit is good) seem to be another consumable that don’t last as long as things such as good pliers and good diagonal cutters
My mom bought me the Harbor Freight ones. I need to remove the Nub if I can.
Your wood seemed to always be sliding around the bench. Seems like it'd be a good idea to keep it fixed in place to work on it. I guess it is a video on chisels rather than technique though. Just sayin.
Also, don't pare TOWARDS the hand holding the work. I highly recommend holdfasts. Just saying. Maybe everyone is not as accident prone as this old fart.
I agree, get some workholding on that bench! Not only safer but makes everything easier.
Phillip Yeager I sliced the tip of my thumb off with a chisel doing that once. needless to say I was squirming watching him pair with his hand right in front of it
Sorry for the bad lessons guys, It was mainly for framing the shots. I need to find a better way to hold work and not mess up the shots I want to get.
I recommend holdfasts (the ones by Gramercy are good an inexpensive) and rubber drawer liner. If you drill the holdfast holes right, you should be able to clamp a piece anywhere on your bench, and the drawer liner is extra insurance against the piece sliding.
Or just put it near the edge of the bench and use a clamp to hold it down out of frame. But seriously... That bit with you cutting towards your hand almost got me to just close the video window.
Basically a hobbyist review. Your criteria for which was easiest to sharpen gave me a good chuckle as you weren't sharpening anything you were re-profiling them. The harder your chisel is, the better it will keep an edge and the sharper that edge will be. Also, cutting anything on a wooden surface that isn't clamped down properly is not an accurate way of telling how a tool should perform. Chisel angles are typically engineered by the manufacturer bearing in mind the handle profile, blade length, overall length, hardness of the metal and blade profile. What on earth made you think that re-profiling something straight from a well respected manufacturer would be better than how they designed it? And for those of you that watch this later on looking for a decent chisel, NEVER hit a chisel with hand. It's a horrible habit and can cause long term damage to your hands if you do it frequently. This is silliness.
Legit thoughtful criticism dude. Thanks 🙏. I worked with the chisels off camera to actually get my impressions of the chisels. The on screen stuff was just b roll, and it was poorly clamped thinking I would get better shots (amateurish looking back at it). You’ve gotta start somewhere I suppose... I reprofiled the chisels to give them fair representation in similar species of wood and to take away any handicap a shitty steel with a high angle might have. Ease of sharpening is actually a legitimate point because unobtanium chisels may stay sharper for a little longer, but they would still not be suitable for hand joinery through more than a couple sets of dovetails. So you will need to resharpen the mid project. At a certain point a chisel can be too hard and skate on a sharpening plate. I personally like a balance of sharpenable and decent edge retention so I can periodically touch them up on a straup. My favorite on balance was really the ALDI chisel, but the veritas chisel was my favorite iteration of an unobtanium chisel. Thanks for the comment.
I understand and apologize if I sounded demeaning, that wasn't my intention. As for sharpen-ability, the right set of sharpening stones and proper technique will take care of any typical hardness for the myriad of steels available (even up to the 63-64 rock for some folded japanese chisels). There's a really nice channel that tests various sharpening stones and is very informative. As for cutting angles, again, angles would be determined by the manufacturer based off of various criteria and changing them all to the "same" angle isn't a fair way to test different chisels from different manufacturers simply because it might not be the optimum angle designated by the manufacturer (for example, the Lie-N's should have had a 30 degree angle on them). Thanks for making content though, I'm sure it takes up a lot of your time and it's appreciated. STILL DON'T HIT CHISELS WITH YOUR HAND! Make us a nice mallet to gawk at :)
On the mallet will do brother. On the angles totally agree, I think if I didn’t change them I get flamed by one set of people and if I did I get flamed by the other. IMHO any chisel should be able to handle any angle as some task require higher/lower angles than others if a chisel can’t handle one angle or another it’s no use to me. Some of the cheaper machine hardened chisels were almost untouchable with my diamond stones, which makes me think they were likely brittle. I would rather roll an edge than shatter an edge. I had never done the “hand hammer” technique until I saw Paul sellers do it. I have since dropped it.
Please clamp down your wood.
Haha thats all I was thinking when I was watching
But what if there's a fire, your gonna be trapped inside the building
Ha ha. I just made a similar comment on another of his videos where he freehanded a biscuit jointer. Scary!
He's obviously not cut himself bad enough yet...
I was just coming to say that! LOL
This overview was very helpful for me! Very thorough and interesting to watch!
+DN Handcrafted thanks man! Going to be comparing east vs west soon.
Great video. It had a surprising outcome.
Small tips for anyone that is setting up a new set of chisels and you find enormous convex bellies on the back.
1) Option 1: Get a cheap rotary tool (Dremel like tool) and some grinding stones. Lap just a little and then use the rotary for a while on an area slightly larger than where the stone lapped. Do that until you get the result you want. Much, much faster than pushing the chisel across the stone a couple hundred thousand times.
2) Better option: Send them back.
I did option 1 on a set of Stanley Bailey chisels, made in Sheffield England that had shockingly awful machining/finishing.
I will never, EVER put that kind of time into a tool again.
I use coarse blue sandpaper stuck to the table. A 2 inch Narex took me 15 m max to flatten way worth your time.
@@corymiller9854 That's because Narex are manufactured to a far better standard than these Stanley chisels were. You're not flattening the chisels I dealt with using sandpaper in 15 minutes. Or even 15 hours.
If I hadn't already done it, I would gift and ship you the chisel so you could see how bad it was.
I'm using DMT diamond stones and Shapton ceramic. Very fast metal removal.
@@thatguythatdoesstuff7448 Yup my friend your method slow real slow.
I don't really worry that much about the flatness of the back except for the working edge, that last maybe 1/2 inch or less. Most of what I use them for is chopping mortise holes. As long as the length of the bevel is flat even a badly curved chisel can get the job done. Then again I don't do a lot of really fine joinery, mostly stuff requiring bruit strength like a work bench, etc..
+martino amello my rule of thumb is half the depth of the thickest stock I will work with the chisel must be dead flat. That was you can pare and mortise accurately. 1/2 from one side half from the other.
I know my Narex paring chisel is a better model than the cheapest specimen you had, but it was totally flat out of the box and even had a secondary bevel. I’ve also heard great things about their 8116 series.
Since first posting this comment I have bought the Narex Premiums 8116s, which are manufactured to a higher quality than the model you used. Mine were flatter out of the box than the Sweethearts you have in this video. I’m not saying the Narex are better, in reality I bought them for the handle as I have osteoarthritis in nearly all my finger joints for which the larger handles are better suited. What I am stating is my experience with these chisels. They are also excellent for the hobbyist or student and good value for this standard.
I’m new to woodworking and I already know not all chisels are created equal. Saying you can pick any old chisel and do the same standard of work with the same ease is inaccurate, or at least it is for me. For the last 18 months I’ve used a set of Marksman that have served me well and I will keep them as my "clouting, hogging" chisels. But even someone as uninformed as myself can see the difference between the Marksman chisels and the Narex Premiums 8116s.
I thought the Stanley Sweethearts are styled after the Stanley 750s That we’re so popular in the earlier part of the last century?
I do think the fact you were comparing the cheaper Narex with the best Stanley etc very misleading and unfair in this test. Surely if you are testing the top range of one manufacturer you should test the top range of them all. Nevertheless, it was informative and thank you for making it.
Thanks for this, just got back into woodworking after 2 decade hiatus. Got the harbor freights to start, they don't stand up very well. Will checkout the sweethearts next. perhaps not a scientific test but you had the right specifics.
bingo, just wanted to share my experience.
Lie Nielsen was modelled after Stanley 750/Stanley sweetheart, not other way around. Veritas pmv11 winner takes all.
I only had one bad Narex out of about 19, which was a new Narex. Note that the have a “pro” line too. Maybe they vary with batch? I have 6 different brands, one of which isa Japanese blue steel. The Vaiax and Narex are the best “value” chisels, and the Daitei are the best I have used.
It's all in the steel. If you don't have good steel, you don't have a good tool. Just about anything from cold rolled to high grade tool steels can be flattened and sharpened to a shaving edge. How long they hold an edge and their shape depends on the quality of the steel. Hard but not brittle. Good wear resistance and corrosion resistance. I've had chisels of dozens of brands and the good ones are pretty much where you happen to find them. That said, I've never seen good steel in the real cheap ones but have sworn by Stanleys, Tru Tempers and such for years. A good balance between quality and cost. I never had a chisel I was happy with out of the box. Always figured on spending a couple of hours getting all the bevels, flats and edges tuned up. The best ones I've had are ones I forged myself out of old shock absorber shafts or really old files.
Great comparison, thank you. I've got a set of narex I really like. The handles I find more comfortable than my other sets...Stanley and an unnamed set from my Dad's toolbox. From the things you said, I'd like to try some veritas tools.
Definitely worth a try if you have the opportunity. They go to a lot of the woodworking shows (Lee Valley that is) and bring almost everything with them. You should check it out next time they are in town.
Awesome video, I wish you had included the pfeil and two cherries chisels too and maybe some japanese ones.
Paul Sellers recommends the Aldi chisels. Good enough for him... good enough for anyone.
I couldn't agree more. They are some of my favorite chisels.
i also bought the Aldi chisels after i saw a paul sellers video some time ago - not disappointed - compared to my much more expensive Stubai chisels i can see no difference at all
I give them as gifts anytime I can find a set
The Irwin Marples Chisel set that I own are an older socket type with a larger handle...i love them. Another chisel to try are the Wood River socket set sold by Woodcraft. I used to sell them and had good reports from customers.
Good video. As a professional cabinet maker, my choice of chisels are vintage: Stanley 750's, Wards Master (Greenlee), and Stanley 60's for the meat of work. The VERITAS and LN are awesome, but you can still find Stanley 750's and 720's for half the price. But I am also old tool biased. Its all about maintaining an edge, the less you have to sharpen the more work can be done. And cheap soft steel will NOT hold an edge for very long. I do agree, if it feels and looks good in your hand, none of these opinions matter. If a $2 tool feels good then rock on!!!
+Jon Woodworker good on you Jon. Agreed. The new 750s are pretty good, I have never used an old 750 but I have heard good things. My biggest problem with some modern steel is it is too hard. It needs to be the right balance of hardness. I like something in the middle, retains a decent edge but doesn't take forever to sharpen.
Great video. It's all about personal preference. I use a worksharp to flatten and sharp, so it's much quicker than freehand. I have a set of Sorby chisels . The boxwood handles are very comfortable and don't need a metal dowel sticking out. I also have a few "junk" chisels for rough jobs. Most of the cheapos don't take an edge. If I was buying again I would buy blades with hard A2 steel and turn boxwood handles. I don't see what is magic about 27 degrees. I sharpen mine to the 20 degree mark on my worksharp. The more acute the angle, the less wedging and resistance in the cut. I have never had a blade break. I bought a very old Sorby recently for £5. The steel was perfect for me, and seemed harder than my newer ones.
Best way to get a good chisel for cheap is to buy used Japanese chisels. Best craftsman out there. They laminate their steel either with paper white steel, blue steel, and both keep an edge like no other. Just do a little research so you can get the best possible one for the price. Keep an eye out for one with a clear lamination line, Japanese master craftsman signature on the blade, a hand made ring on the end of the handle, and make sure the hollow grind is still in tact. I bought a 15mm Japanese fully handmade mortising chisel for $10. I might make a video on how to find these great tools for cheap.
+Seth's Project 10$?!?!? Wow what a deal. Who was the maker? I have been scouring for a good source of japanese tools, I actually will be making an announcement about something here pretty soon.
I really wish I knew the maker. I love putting names to the hand made tools that I own, but unfortunately the eBay listing didn't have the craftsman's name in the details. I do own some pretty expensive daitei chisels. These are made by a guy named Teijiro Ohkubo. Absolutely excellent craftsman, and I am going to love owning these chisels for the rest of my life. You can actually see them in my latest video, and I show you the chisel that I bought for $10! At this point I have a few more, but at $120+ each... it gets expensive lol. Some people don't think buying expensive chisels is necessary, but for me... it's about the story that my tools have, and that motivates me to keep doing what I'm passionate about. There is just something about pulling out fully handmade chisels. 95% of my tools are Japanese. I love the simplistic nature of traditional Japanese woodworking. For me woodworking is about relaxing and creating something that is going to last lifetimes. I owned a few power tools, and I ended up selling them. Anything that I can do with a power tool.... I can do by hand..... no shortcuts. Just with a little bit more patience and skill. Just bought my new camera, and I'm going to be making some woodworking video's here really soon. Really excited!
+Seth's Project welcome to the RUclips community. I look forward to checking out your videos.
Wood.Work.LIFE. Thanks a lot!
Nice comparison. Keep in mind that you only need to level the back once. Seems like you disliked the Narex, maybe because of the handle not working with the hand bump?
The handle was weird, but I don't think the steel was that much nicer than a much cheaper chisel.
If you're on a budget buy the narex and turn your own handles to suit until you can afford better, that's what I did
I just finished doing the same. Very nice chisels. I have a set of 6 from 1" down. All were reasonably flat and time spent tuning them up to razor sharp was also reasonable. I don't need anything but these because the difference isn't worth it. I also really liked making my own handles. If I can figure out how to link a pic I will.
Thanks for the tutorial and the video. Curious if you sampled only one size from each brand or if all of them measured pretty much the same way. In other words were all of the Narex chisels poorly machined on the back right out of the box or did you just pick one from each brand to test? Thanks again
+Jeff Forbes I compared 3/4 to 3/4. A bad one spoils the bunch. Means poor QC so can't really count on any of them being flat.
Where do you buy the Aldi's from?
I have quite a few chisels including a set of Lie-Nielsen (5) and Two Cherries (6). I also have a bunch of garage sale chisels that include vintage Stanley 750 socket chisels, Buck Brothers, Thistle,.... the list goes on. The vintage Stanley are nice for history’s sake but do not hold an edge compared to the LN. The Two Cherries are nice for fine work, paring and shaping but are a bit lightweight for chopping. The LN do everything I need very we’ll and my set is old enough for include the 1/8” size which I use a lot. Are the LN and Veritas worth the price? Depends on your disposable funds and how much you like to sharpen.
+John Murphy couldn't have set it better myself. The tool doesn't make the man.
Great shoot out. Thanks!
Thanks for the sub, look forward to seeing you around! I love your videos!
Wood.Work.LIFE. Thanks! I thought I had subbed before but guess I didn't, or might've been on my old account. Anyway, I'm about to post on the FV group about doing a meet up in St Louis next weekend around The Woodworking Show. Be great to meet you!
Awesome, I look forward to it.
Hate ta say it but having veritas chisels and aldis chisels those cheapest gave 2 years good service still cut pretty good
Harbor freight chisels are great for using as a scrapers. Never bought them for wood.
My Narex were quite good in terms of a flat back with a slight hollow. On the other hand the discrepancy between my experience and yours indicates lack of consistency
That seems to have been a common theme with Narex owners, the steel is hard to touch even with diamond stones too. I think it might be overly hardened.
I'm in the market for some new chisels and this information will total help me narrow down my choices. Thanks bud for another sharp, great video.
Great video
PMV-11 lasts by far the longest, but intermittent micro damages means you have to sharpen them for fine work. Narex is shaped consistently enough and is much much much easier to hone. Same with other cheaper alternatives.
I agree
nice video, I have been thinking about investing in a new set of chisels so they was pretty relevant for me. Thanks
Thanks Tom! Lots of good choices out there. Which way are you leaning?
not sure yet, just looked up ALDI chisels on amazon and not finding anything a lot of the other ones you mentioned. I just watched an old William Walker Co. video last night where he talked about his Stanley sweetheart chisels a little. I think it was his snowed in video. I also have played with the idea of making some from scratch, could make a good video. :-)
That Narex should have been sent back for replacement. None of mine were like that and if they had arrived twisted like that would have gone straight back. Also you got the Narex carpenters chisels there, they do a much finer version better for hand joinery with a better handle for using without a mallet.
Ya you are probably right. Maybe they don't have the same level of QC on carpenters chisels.
Thank you for the review! I noticed at 1:33 you said the Work Zone was reasonably flat but at 3:32 you said it was nowhere near flat. I have the same chisels and they weren't too bad out of the package. Have resharpened them several times now! I have a few of the random Aldi tools and they are impressive for a tool from a grocer!!!
I'd love to own some Veritas!!! Used them at my local WWS and they were smooth as butter!
+Robert Erickson the clip you were referring to is after quite a bit of flattening. I was referring to out of the box. They are hit or miss I have bought 4 sets and the chisels range from unusable needing to be hammered out to basically flat. They are good chisels, but for $1 each the manufacturing process I obviously inconsistent.
4:49 made me wince. I thought you were about to gouge a hunk out of you left hand!
Help me understand, please. If they all came with an angle different than 27° was there some good reason for them to choose the other angles? What were those angles?
+Paul Bostwick a bunch of good reasons, 1) put then all through a worst case sharpening scenario since they all had to be changed by about 2 degrees to learn what they are like to work with. 2) remove the first bit of steel as this portion is usually over hardened. 3) ensure a consistent bevel angle so it doesn't flavor observations of performance 4) 27 degrees is a versatile angle that is both very sharp and fairly resilient (holding an edge) this slightly favors the cheap chisels 5) why not?
They all came round about 25 degrees since they are bench chisels. Pairing chisels would have come slightly shallower and mortise chisels slightly steeper.
Those make sense to me, I think. For 1) is "worst case sharpening scenario" having to remove a bunch of material to get to an edge? so "what they are like to work with" in that sense is what they are like to sharpen? (seems fair - but maybe i did not get it) 2) gotcha. 3) did seem the goal - I was buying that from the start) 4) that might best have been mentioned in the video (as well as why it favors the cheap chisels? I wonder why?) 5) the only reason not to (and i think your other points outweigh this) is to let the chisel perform as they come (as far as angle) only dressed up a bit to give them a fighting chance... Thanks for the fast response (and the very good video)
No problem. I didn't favor the cheap chisels on purpose, I like my chisels at 27 degrees, a rather steep angle for some, and it gives softer steel chisels a fighting chance at retaining an edge and makes a chisel with good steel good an edge for a long time. Thanks for the comment, always glad to engage in some good conversation.
good comparison,.thanks
It's sad seeing Marples at the low end of the scale. I have some very nice Marples chisels from 40-50 years ago - one of which I rescued from use as a paint-can opener & stirrer.
Older chisels like that are much better than the newer marples he was reviewing. The one he was reviewing was most likely made in China with crappy materials. 40 to 50 years ago they would've been made in the US with tool steels most likely. I have a stanly chisel that was made in the usa from my dad and it sharpens up and holds an edge very well. Stanly doent make much if anything in the usa anymore.
@@BryceKimball7.3Marples would be made in Sheffield 40 years ago, not USA. Not sure about Irwin, but I am unimpressed with all the modern Irwin tools I have.
Great review, thanks. When do the Aldi chisels show up in Aldi stores?
Keep an eye on the ads, but usually around fathers day. I will make an announcement on Twitter and FB so follow me @WoodWorkLIFE and @thewoodworklife
Good test! Thanks
All my chisels are old and bought 2nd hand. Good quality Sheffield steel by makers such as R. Sorby which are perfectly flat and super sharp... they piss over any modern Irwin or Marple chisels and can be purchased for a few pounds.
Anyone else here got some new chrome vanadium chisels? can I ask you all have you guys found they get rusty way faster than other types of tools?
I hate chrome vanadium, you would think the chromium content makes them somewhat rust resistant, but they seem to rust faster than straight carbon steel.
Great Video... but why didn’t you test the Kirschen
Good video. Thank you for doing it. I always wonder what you get for you money. I have a lot of chisels in my shop; from some DR Burton's from the 1830s to 750s and Japanese laminates I got while working overseas. The ones my hands keep coming back to for day to day task are the old 750s and the blue Marples. In that respect I agree with Tayler Made. Steel is so good theses days the chisel is not going to be the deciding factor, its the hand that uses it. What ever feels best in your hand is best. One caveat, I think every one should own one great chisel so you know what great is like and can make your own decision.
Agreed!
Brian Minghella I was the first person to thumbs up your opinions, but I recognize that they are opinions. I got taught how to cut dovetails from Frank Klauz and he likes to blue marples as well. So now we got a World recognized cabinet maker, as well as a small-timer like me who both like the same tools.Then again I'm professional cabinet maker. I got over 100 kitchens under my belt and I tend to go with what works. This isn't my Play Time. This is how I put food on my family's table so I don't tend to mess around with things that take a long time and still don't get the job done. with all that being said if you like spending money on chisel go for it. Still no professional that I knows places their inability or ability to do a job on there tools.
Brian Minghella anyway I hope I didn't offend you. I just like big chisels because they fit better in my big hands
Brownstone Custom Cabinetry . There is this thing called Benchmarks . I got taught the old fashioned way and one of the first things I got taught is this .The most valuable tools you own are your hands ,so look after them . Dont use blunt tools or cheap tools. You will more likely have an accident with them and do permanent damage to your hands.
Having been at the bench so long I have seen many accidents .I have seen fingers ripped off hands by fools who did not listen when I told them how to do things . I have taken guys to hospital because they refused to listen to sound advice passed down from generation to generation. TO MANY people take up this trade for glamour and ego and refuse to listen to common sense . I have used those blue handled marples chisels and I have a set of the boxwood handled version . I dont like those to much either but I use them for rough work.
Its not just about the edge holding and sharpness of the same . Cheap chisels edges literally fold over when you look under the microscope at them ! Thats bad .
Now I could never dictate to the apprentices what chisels they should get but if they bought cheap ones it was a good sign they were not committed and passionate about the work.
Bad Chisels encourage bad habits and bad habits lead to inferior work . If you dont know that then your working timber different to me . Kitchen makers these days ( I make kitchens too now and then ) are generally not doing what I call traditional cabinetry but rather a hybrid version thats quicker so they can compete with the panel product crap most people cough up for .
They dont mortice and tenon their frames , they screw/dowel/domino them and use any number of cheat fixings to knock it over quick. I dont do that. All my work is free standing custom made with no short cuts .
I trained under my grandfather , a shipwright ,back in the day when those guys did fit out for the best of the best . I inherited a few of his chisels but most were taken by my uncle . Cast steel chisels by Ward (excellent quality if you can find them) and other famous makers such as Sorby (still around ) Marples aint what it used to be though. Okay for weekend warriors but I think their steel is crap to be honest. Its not just the steel though because its got to be hardened and tempered with great skill . many of those forged cast steel hinges were hardened through stretching and pounding the steel to get the right qualities . You can tell the difference straight away when you use them .
I used to watch the smart asses struggling to cut clean dovetails with their cheap chisels. The edge shits itself as soon as they start to chop out the pins , so they start hitting harder and chewing it up. Then they get pissed and start saying things like 'that will do' . Couple of months down the track having done a crap job you put them on something else and they get smart assed and fuck that up too.
Eventually they leave because we had to fix one of their screw ups and they start out on their own blowing their trumpet about training 'with the best'.
I see it all the time . They undercut the good craftsman by cutting corners and the customer ,not knowing any better goes with the cheaper quote and sends a good man to the wall while the hack with the cheap chisels carves out a customer base with lies and inferior work.
Thats why I dont take apprentices anymore.
Brownstone Custom Cabinetry . No Bud ,you did not offend me and I have massive hands too . Up to a point I get what your saying and you know ,its your choice . The thing is for me I learned that power gripping your chisels to control them is what you do when they are not sharp Yeah ? We have all done it . But a really sharp Chisel you can hold it lightly with your finger tips and the sharp edge will go where you want it with sharp strikes from a metal hammer . Once you have to grip it ,its time to sharpen it.
I sharpen my chisels with wet stones because its quick and you get the best edge man , just razor sharp . I like the control and accuracy you get when your edge is good . I like the sound of sharp cutting tools. My foreman used to give us hell when he heard us pushing a blunt plane. "I can hear it" he would shout. And you can you know ?
Its like this . Making a living as a wood butcher is tough so you know ,why make it tougher using crap tools ? I am a heavily built guy too but I treat my hands like ladies. I dont use my fists to tap a chisel EVER . So bad for your wrists . I may look like a weight lifter but I dont throw my weight around the bench . I do it the Zen way . Relaxed focus, swift and sure because i am not fighting the timber . I work quickly because I make sharp tools a religion . I have built massive pipe organ carccasses that took weeks to dovetail together . All cut by hand with very sharp Jap chisels . You try cutting dovetails for days on end and you will soon appreciate the difference . The thrill of chopping smart and fast with a perfectly balanced jap chisel is just Wow. Its a thrill . Seriously.
Its like when your planer blades are blunt and you have to push down on the bed to get the wood to register . Its bad , its sounds bad and you dont get as good a face.
I dont like to see guys struggle with inferior tools when they could be getting high using good ones.
I'd be curious to know about their dimensions. Are they what they say they are? Is a 3/4" chisel really 3/4 inches?
Yes, unless you buy from a German manufacturer in which case sometimes it's 12.5mm or so
@@WoodWorkLIFE 3/4" is very close to 19 mm.
The thing is for a workshop yeah great soft steel is brilliant easy to sharpen and expensive but for site carpenters like me a cheap set of Irwin chisels at £60 do the trick because you use them for all sorts of things. On site your so likely to hit your chisel on a nail by accident and with a soft chisel such as these expensive ones you are destroying it straight away but with Irwin you can hit them into a nail and only slightly gouge the edge which can be re ground
People always forget to mention the Veritas chisel has a tang and socket construction with a gap left so the socket does not cut into the handle.
So is Narex good beginner chissels or not?
It's alright, I personally prefer the aldi chisels or the Stanley sweethearts.
I have uses harbor freight chisels for years and have been through 3 or 4 sets over time. They were all pretty much flat
Do you have any experience and opinion on the Ashley Iles chissels ? Thanks
I can't say that I do. Where are they from?
They are in Lincolnshire UK.
If I can get hold of them here in the heartland I will give them a shot. Most of what I get hold of, even at antique shops are old Ohio manufactured steel, and modern american and Canadian brands.
cfen matisse I personally use them for my everyday use, being a cabinet maker myself. They are not hard enough to be a pain to sharpen, but hold an edge well. they also have a best feel and weight out of all the chisels i have tried in my opinion.
Great video. One small correction, The Stanley sweetheart and the Lie-Nielsen are both based on an old stanley socket design that came out around WWII
Thanks.
I have some really cheap ones some Freud and some Irwin Marples. You get what you pay for the Freud’s stay sharp forever and they just feel great. The Marples is a good chisel and mine were flat but they have a uncomfortable handle.
A very informative and well made video. Bravo! I have a variety of chisels from a variety of eras and manufacturers. All are good for something I do. Like most, I understand that correct sharpening and angle matters far more than the grade of steel.
beyond a certain point I agree, but low grade steel and a poorly machined bevel and side landings are hard to overcome.
I am a far better engineer than I am a woodworker. Chisels are very easy to modify. As I am sure you already know, keep them cool and you can take a lot of metal off without compromising the tempering.
I get that if it were a cheap antique, but if I bought something off the shelf and had to do the level of modification some people do...that is like going to a restaurant and paying to cook your own dinner. But if you could get an old cheap high quality steel chisel you could modify, I suppose you could make anything
Nothing is perfect 'Out of the box'. I realised thirty years ago, 'Anything made by man, can be made better'. This is based on the fact that almost everything made is made by people that want to make money. Time is money so to speak. I do accept the principal of the law of diminishing returns. I modify my wood chisels, cold steel chisels, drill bits, etc, to the task I intend using them for.
Sound logic, and I agree, most products are made with the intention to make money and not to meet the needs of every individual. But yes, if a tool needs to be made modified to perform a task, you better believe I have at it.
Where can you buy the Aldi chisels at?
Aldi the international grocery store
Wood.Work.LIFE. oh sorry I've heard of aldi but didn't put it together..I guess because they are a grocery store... thanks
I would put a 35 degree micro bevel on mortising chisels. Even Harbor Freight chisels will perform wonders.
Probably much better performance, but this was just sort of a like for like test. I wanted to see where they failed and where they excelled.
You didn't really answer, are Irwin Maples chisels worth the purchase price for a woodworking beginner?
+Jack Lynn no go Aldi if you can find then or Stanley sweetheart if you cant
Hmm, I just bought and received Narex Chisels as my first set.... and then I find this video! Although I will say I looked for those cheap chisels that Paul Sellers recommended here in Canada and they were very expensive... probably because they have to be imported.
It looks like the Narex should work just fine, but may not of been the best choice. Live and learn!
The Narex are fine. You will like them. This isn't saying what is bad, it is just saying what is different. Once you prepare them, they should serve you very well.
I think you did a pretty good test of all of them. My take away is that the extreme extra cost of the veritas and lie-Nielson in no way justifies only slightly better utility. One thing you didn't mention at all about the socket chisel design is that they are super easy to make new handles for. If you ever beat the tar out of the handle or you simply want a different shape for one, it takes no time to turn one on the lathe. I even have different length handles for some of my socket chisels -- sometimes i like a long one (like 12" or so) to use the chisel like a slick. Good vid. Thanks.
Ya I thought about that, but I don't have a lathe yet. Maybe I can make some new handles for the Lie Nielsen or the Stanley out of some of this Osage Orange I have.
Wood.Work.LIFE. Nice video. Have a new set of Narex and would like to get a set of the Aldi's closer to Father's Day as you mentioned. Just heard about those a couple of months ago. FYI, Jay Bates had a nice video where he turned new handles for his chisels and even got bands for them that have his logo imprinted for a little extra flair.
I saw that Jay Bates video, I loved it such a cool idea, he got the rings from a duck call company if I recall. I haven't ventured into turning yet, I feel like I should really get my dust collection going first :) Thanks for the heads up, hope to see you around. Good luck on finding some Aldi chisels, I kind of like that they are special release at different times of the year.
you don't necessarily need dust collection to start. A good particulate mask for the dust and fume mask for the finishing (which I would assume you already have as a wood worker) is all you need. A broom and dust pan followed by a shop vac will take you far. Dust collection can reduce cleanup time, but it is not necessary. Bite the bullet, watching those shavings fly off in a continuous ribbon on green wood is soooo therapeutic.
BTW, a good quality full-face mask should be considered a requirement as well. Of course the PPE is only a requirement if you value your health and safety...HAHaHA. Another plus is learning how to sharpen a whole new set of tools :-)
Great review. Obviously you aren't able to test every available set of chisels, so I'll add one more to your list: Olympia 30-184 4pc from Amazon. I bought these a little over a year ago as a cheap set to hold me over until I can make the ones I really want (I have an awesome chunk of D4 steel that will be a PITA to sharpen but will hold an edge like no other; should be able to get at least six chisels out of it). Normally on Amazon for $15 or less, I got mine for $9 used in "like new" condition.
The package had been opened but the original factory sharpening marks were still present, and there was not the slightest sign that they had ever been used. I spent a Sunday afternoon partially getting them into shape, but mostly just watching movies with my wife, so I don't know how long they really took but it was slower than I had expected (coming from a beater set of big box store Stanley's and a contractor grade DeWalt), because the steel was much harder than I had expected.
This Sunday is exactly one year since I did that work and I have only needed to touch them up with a fine stone a few times. I even hand mortised the openings for heat registers in a bamboo floor with them. That stuff is both hard and abrasive, yet they still turned a decent curl in hardwood immediately after.
At this point the making-my-own-chisels project has been bumped way down my list of priorities because these have far exceeded my expectations. I am thankful to the fool who returned them without using them because that very low price is what convinced me to try them rather than any of the other sub-$20 sets on Amazon.
Oh, and by the way, I find them even more attractive in person than in the photos. I like the style and ergonomics, at least for my hands and use.